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Brendan Morrison waits it out for another job, might end up with reality check instead

Brendan Morrison

FILE - In this April 9, 2009, file photo, Dallas Stars center Brendan Morrison warms up before facing the Colorado Avalanche in an NHL hockey game in Denver. The Washington Capitals have found a possible second-line center for next season, signing free agent Brendan Morrison to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on Friday, July 10, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AP

We’ve examined the free agent possibilities out there for a few players this off-season but there’s one formerly prominent scoring center out there still without a home. Former Canucks star Brendan Morrison is still looking for an NHL job and after down years with the Stars and Capitals the last two seasons, he’s looking to pick his career up.

Like many other veterans out on the free agent market, he’s hoping to latch on somewhere but Jim Jamieson of The White Towel finds out that Morrison has some standards he wants met.

Morrison, an unrestricted free agent, is still looking for a team to land with. But he won’t accept a tryout contract. It’s got to be a guaranteed contract or he won’t go. He’s also made up him mind that he won’t play in Europe.

“We’re still talking to some teams and hopefully something comes through by Friday,” said Morrison on Tuesday. “But a lot of teams have the same message. We want to start camp and see what we’ve got here.”

Time to break this down with some harsh reality for Brendan Morrison. He’s now 35 years-old. His last good season in the NHL was 2006-2007 in Vancouver when he was fully healthy and had 20 goals and 31 assists. Since then, he’s had seasons of 25 points (in 39 games), 31 with Anaheim and Dallas, and 42 with the Caps.

As last season wore down, Morrison did as well, scoring just 18 points from the start of 2010 through to the end of the playoffs and the Caps exit in the first round. Since his running days with Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi in Vancouver, Morrison’s production has slipped tremendously. He was brought to Washington last season to perhaps reignite his game with a high-powered Caps offense searching for a second line center. Things started well, but fizzled hard at the end.

Morrison seeking out all those demands to get a job once again in the NHL seems a bit crazy given how the market has been all off-season and how even vets in better negotiating position than what Morrrison has had to change their focus. You just have to hope that Brendan Morrison’s salary demands aren’t out of whack or else he’ll find out that the winter will be very cold off the ice.