Fourth time could be charm for Morrissey

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This article was published 06/10/2016 (3282 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In three previous NHL training camps, Josh Morrissey wasn’t quite ready for prime time.

That description doesn’t seem to fit anymore.

The 21-year-old defenceman, a 13th-overall pick in the 2013 draft, is in the thick of a battle for regular work with the Winnipeg Jets and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“With two games left you want to show your stuff,” said Morrissey, who was expected to be paired with all-star defenceman Dustin Byfuglien in Thursday night’s penultimate pre-season tilt in Edmonton against the Oilers.

“You want to continue to do what you have been doing. I think the same thing rings true, you don’t want to change your game or do anything crazy-drastic to get noticed. You want to keep doing what the coaches want you to do, play within the system.”

Morrissey averaged 20 minutes, 45 seconds of ice time and registered two assists in his four previous pre-season games, looking calm and composed in a variety of roles.

“I think I’ve been playing pretty well,” he said. “I think I’ve gotten better through the games and I feel pretty comfortable in practice. So, I like where my game’s at.”

His willingness and ability to play the right side has helped matters, too. The left-shot Calgary product said he got accustomed to playing both sides during his minor hockey career, as well as his time in the Western Hockey League with the Prince Albert Raiders and Kelowna Rockets.

“It’s definitely an adjustment,” he said. “Playing on your off side as opposed to your strong side, I mean, anyone can see all of a sudden your angles are a lot different if you’re looking up ice. When you’re on the right, your stick is in the middle, so you have a tendency to want to pull it to your backhand more often.

“I try to embrace it. I played it a lot growing up. There seem to be a lot more left-handed players and left-handed defenceman, so I was always on the right side.”

Decisions, decisions

The Jets have 32 players — 20 forwards, nine defencemen and three goaltenders — remaining in camp. Whittling that number to 23 is a primary focus for head coach Paul Maurice and his staff.

Maurice said each opening on this year’s roster has more than one worthy applicant.

“I don’t have a number, to be quite honest with you,” he said after Thursday morning’s workout at the MTS Iceplex.

“I would say there’s three or four opportunities up front. But those are not long-term. These are part-time jobs that are available.

“The difference is that may be true for players who have been here before or older players. You don’t get the job on Oct. 12 and keep it for the year. There’s just too much competition now.”

What about Nikolaj?

Promising second-year winger Nikolaj Ehlers is expected to have a big production surge playing full-time with centre Mark Scheifele and captain Blake Wheeler.

The adjustments Ehlers made to his game during the 2015-16 season are a big reason for his rise to prominence.

“He has taken a lot of the negative — shift length, going down easily on pucks — he doesn’t do that anymore,” Maurice said. “He made huge strides. It was after training camp (last season) that his education started.”

Ehlers is not expected to get complacent, and Maurice is counting on that.

“Most players think going into that second year it gets easier, and it doesn’t,” the coach said. “His role has changed — the last part of the season, he started to play against the other team’s best and this year there will be more pressure on him and that line to be good at both ends. That is the next phase for these guys.”

No Trouba, no trouble

Maurice seemed resigned to the absence of restricted free-agent blue-liner Jacob Trouba, who has requested a trade and has been a no-show at training camp.

“I know he wasn’t here today — how about that?” Maurice said. “I’m hopeful to see Jake every day and my phone hasn’t rang.”

The coach said his planning for the regular season isn’t being affected by Trouba’s absence.

“It doesn’t even a little bit, because he’s not here. If he was here and you thought he might leave, that’s a bit of a problem.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sawa14