Brenden Morrow is retiring with the Dallas Stars after a 15-year career that started and ended with trips to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The 37-year-old Morrow signed a ceremonial one-day contract Thursday with the franchise that drafted him in the first round in 1997. He spent 12-plus seasons with the Stars, including his rookie season in 1999-2000 when the defending Cup champions lost to New Jersey in the finals.
"The game of hockey has given me so many opportunities in my life," said Morrow. "Winning a gold medal for Canada at the Olympic Games and appearing in two Stanley Cup Final series are things that I only dreamed of growing up. Getting to perform on those stages is still surreal to me. To all my family, friends, trainers, equipment managers, coaches and teammates, thank you for supporting and pushing me throughout my career. Being able to put on an NHL sweater was something that I never took for granted, and it's with a full heart that my family and I have decided that it's time for me to officially retire from the National Hockey League."
Morrow was traded to Pittsburgh in 2013, spent one season in St. Louis and finished his career last season in a trip to the finals with Tampa Bay, which lost to Chicago.
"Brenden exemplified what a captain should be," said Dallas Stars President, CEO and Governor Jim Lites. "He left an indelible mark on this franchise, leading with heart and passion. There wasn't a night where he didn't give every ounce of energy he had, and we deeply appreciate all of his contributions to the game."
The Olympic gold medalist with Canada on home ice in 2010 had 575 points (265 goals, 310 assists) in 991 career games.
