Stars trade the Captain

So the Stars make their second trade during the 2013 season trading the Captain Brendon Morrow to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

My first question is does this signal the team is a seller or a buyer at the deadline?  I still don't know the answer to that.  Here is why...

I see this trade as an upgrade to the defense core as the trade netted Penguins prospect Joe Morrow, the 23rd overall pick of the 2011 draft.

My first impression reading up on the newly acquired Morrow is he is an offensive defenseman who is close to ready to contribute at the NHL level, isn't that what we thought we got in Alex Goligoski?  The difference here is you gave up a old, gritty, tough defensive winger in the last year of his contract versus a young, goal scoring power winger with several years of contract protection in James Neal.

The Stars got far better equal value in this trade than they did in Ryder for Cole they did a month ago.  However I feel they filled the hole left by Morrow in the Cole trade, gave them the net presence on the top 2 lines who gives better scoring threat, size and several years already under contract.

Onto the new Morrow in Dallas, here is what we know about him.

Joe Morrow is a 20-year old offensive defenseman who was drafted 23rd overall in 2011 draft.  He stands 6-1 and 204 pounds and here's what Hockey Future's report on Morrow says:

"A mobile and aggressive two-way defenseman who can play in all situations, Joe Morrow has seen his stock rise meteorically since his draft year in 2010-11. Playing with poise and maturity far beyond his years, Morrow possesses the ability to retrieve the puck from his own zone and start the play up ice. His puck-distribution ability is top notch and he has a hard and heavy shot that typically hits the net. He also owns a high hockey IQ and does an excellent job of keeping his head up when moving the puck up ice and carrying it along the blue line."

Here is what I don't like about the deal.  Morrow is a left shot, this team is full of left shots with only Stephane Robidas as the only right handed shot on the roster. I would of liked the team to find a player who can bring some balance. The only other thing I don't like doesn't have anything to do with Joe Morrow, it has to do with the Stars trading away 2 top 6 NHL wingers and not coming away with any top line scorers or young centers to build on.