Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow to represent Canada in 2010 Winter Olympics

by Mark Stepneski of Andrew's Stars Page

Morrow was selected for his grit and determination.

DALLAS — Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow said he had a sleepless night as he awaited Team Canada's decision on its Olympic roster. About 20 minutes before Morrow hit the ice for practice in Frisco on Wednesday, the answer came in a call from Team Canada's Doug Armstrong: He was on the roster.

"I am pretty excited,” Morrow said after the team's practice in Frisco. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. It was probably a lot harder on Steve Yzerman and his crew than me."

Morrow was considered a strong contender for a roster spot and was invited to Canada's selection camp during the summer. But coming off knee surgery and with Canada's wealth of talent at forward, Morrow wasn't sure about whether he'd get the nod from Yzerman, Team Canada's executive director, and the rest of the team's management.

"I was a bubble guy and just wondering if I would make it or not. I kind of visualized the games and what would happen in Vancouver," Morrow said. "I just had lots of things going through my head. The mice were running around and I couldn't get to sleep."

Morrow's been projected as possibly a checking line player for Canada. He played on a line with Philadelphia's Mike Richards in the summer camp.

Stars head coach Marc Crawford, who coached Canada's 1998 Olympic team, said Morrow brings a lot to the table including some versatility.

"It's a very good pick," Crawford said. "He can kill penalties, he hits, he's physical. When you are playing in a short tournament you need guys like that. He can play on the power play or a top line. He's got tremendous character. I'm sure those were all plusses in his ledger when they were putting it all together."

This will be Morrow's first Olympics, but not his first time suiting up for Canada in international play. He's played at the World Juniors, World Cup, and World Championship. In the 1999 World Juniors, he played in Winnipeg in front of the hometown crowd. His first Olympic experience will come in Vancouver.

“It was a good buzz in the arena (in Winnipeg) with people waving the white towels and I am sure it is going to be the same in Vancouver,” he said. “To have it on home soil is going to be a real exciting time."