Fantasy Hockey Impact: The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Brenden Morrow and a third-round draft pick in exchange for blue-chip prospect Joe Morrow and a fifth-round draft pick.

The Penguins get: A hardworking leader who does a little bit of everything. But Morrow’s body has taken a beating and by this point the 34-year-old is five seasons removed from his last 60-plus point season. Morrow’s contract expires in the summer.

The Stars get: An offensive blueliner with a little bit of trouble adapting to the bigger pro game, at least from a defensive standpoint. But that’s to be expected. A full fantasy profile on Morrow can be found here over at DobberProspects.

Morrow had 113 points in his last 122 WHL games while playing for Portland, but has managed just 15 points in 57 games as a rookie in the AHL. That’s to be expected at his age.

The Penguins continue to employ their strategy of trading blue-chip defensemen to acquire wingers. They did it with Ryan Whitney (Chris Kunitz), they did it with Alex Goligoski (James Neal) and now they’ve done it again.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Obviously, our gaze turns straight to Beau Bennett. Coach Dan Bylsma isn’t going to disrupt the chemistry that Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz are showing with Sidney Crosby. And he’s sure as hell not moving James Neal off the Evgeni Malkin line. And so we’re left with Bennett. Bennett who, with another assist Sunday, now has nine points in his last 14 games and is plus-6 in that span. Will he be taken off that line?

The more important question is – will he be sent down?

My gut says that the Penguins didn’t acquire Morrow for the Malkin line, but rather as an insurance policy for the Malkin line. He can play with Brandon Sutter and Tyler Kennedy on what would be a pretty solid, hustling third line. But that would mean that Matt Cooke slides to the fourth line, which would kill his already limited fantasy value. But someone needs to be sent down to WBS (with Malkin returning soon, plus adding Morrow) and unless they waive Dustin Jeffrey or Joe Vitale – you could be looking at Bennett.

Long-term, since Morrow is a pending UFA, Bennett’s future is still very promising.

Meanwhile, the other Morrow – Joe – will find an easier path to Dallas than he had in Pittsburgh. So he could be in the NHL in two years instead of three.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

1. B. Morrow

2. J. Morrow

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Bennett

2. Cooke

3. Dupuis