Morrissey passing another milestone with 600th NHL game

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/11/2024 (334 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FORT LAUDERDALE — Josh Morrissey feels like he’s just getting started with this hockey odyssey.

The Winnipeg Jets’ top defenceman was reflective as he gets set to hit another important milestone in this journey on Saturday against the Florida Panthers, skating in NHL game No. 600.

“Hopefully I’m only about halfway there,” Morrissey said after the Jets skated at Baptist Health IcePlex, the Panthers’ practice rink. “Every time you get another 100 games it’s a cool moment. As the hierarchy goes, 1,000 is the big one that guys go after. It goes by fast, you hear everybody say that. A lot of great memories and it feels like I’m just getting going.”

That’s the scary thing about Morrissey, who officially pushed himself into the upper-echelon of blue-liners during the past three seasons.

While it’s natural for players to improve — often dramatically — as they gain experience, to constantly be pushing the ceiling higher is a testament to Morrissey’s work ethic and passion to push himself.

“He keeps getting better and he knows how good he can be,” said former Jets head coach Rick Bowness, who attended Friday’s workout. “What you love about Josh, it’s not just the skill, but that inner drive that he has. He wants to be the best out there and he wants to keep getting better. That’s what makes him an elite player and an elite person. It’s not just his skills man, it’s his drive and that’s what I love about him.”

Morrissey, 29, says that inner drive dates back to his youth, when he was coached by his late father Tom, who passed away in August of 2021 after a battle with cancer.

“It’s something that has gotten me where I’m at in my career and hopefully continues to push me forward with the goals I have as a player and teammate,” said Morrissey. “I love the game and love the pursuit of getting better, the pursuit of finding ways to improve and be more consistent. I think a lot of that comes from my dad.

“As a kid he instilled that mindset in me to never be satisfied. I just love the game. I love the compete element. When I’m playing my best, that’s what drives me. So like I said, I want to be constantly improving for my teammates. That’s what it’s all about.”

When Bowness, who retired from coaching at the end of last season, arrived on the scene in Winnipeg, he told Morrissey that he had the ability to be someone to be in the top 10 in the Norris Trophy race for the NHLs top defenceman.

Morrissey achieved that goal, but wasn’t satisfied in just being part of the discussion.

Now he’s pushing to be a finalist and eventually have his name engraved on the trophy.

“Absolutely. That’s what he’s capable of doing,” said Bowness. “He’s a big part of the team having the success that the team is having and that comes into play when you’re going after the Norris.

“That’s where he deserves to be and I hope that he gets there.”

Morrissey is certainly doing his part to be under consideration, as he is tied for second in the NHL for points among defencemen with teammate Neal Pionk and behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, with 17 in 17 games.

“It seems like every year he adds a new layer to his game,” said Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo, who has been Morrissey’s defence partner for the majority of time since he arrived in a trade from the Ottawa Senators. “He’s the heartbeat of our team, for sure. He’s a guy that works tirelessly on his craft in the offseason and during the year, he’s looking at how he can improve, on the ice, with recovery and in the gym. He’s an amazing pro and a great leader for our group. I’m definitely not surprised to see him improve, but it’s great to see it.”

It’s fitting that two of Morrissey’s former head coaches — Bowness and Panthers’ head coach Paul Maurice — along with the general manager (Kevin Cheveldayoff) who selected him 13th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft will all be in the building for the milestone moment.

Morrissey has also praised Arniel for the role he played in his development during the previous two seasons running the defencemen as an associate coach with Bowness.

When Morrissey was asked how long it took to feel comfortable at the NHL level, he recalled a conversation he had with Maurice roughly five games into his first full season in the fall of 2016.

“That’s a good question,” said Morrissey. “I remember going into his office. (Maurice) kind of had a smirk on his face, as he often does. He was laughing that day and said ‘you know we’re not sending you down. You can go try something with the puck, make a play, do the things that you do.’

That was a moment where I remember settling in a little bit.”

Morrissey has run the gamut when it comes to defence partners, breaking in as the safety valve with Dustin Byfuglien and growing into a role on the shutdown pairing with Jacob Trouba before he was dealt to the New York Rangers.

He then went through a time when there was a revolving door on the right side of his pairing before DeMelo arrived in the trade with the Ottawa Senators in 2020.

He worked his way up to quarterbacking the top power play to growing into a top point producer who is still being asked to be responsible defensively and do his best to neutralize the most talented players.

“He really believes in his own abilities and his skillset. He’s grown here in the last couple of years and you can see it every day,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “He’s an extremely confident player when he has the puck. The thing for me that really jumps out, not really knowing him before I got here, is his play and his defending, his wanting to take responsibility of playing against the other teams top players.

“That’s something we talked about a couple of years ago. He wanted to have it on his plate and he does. He sees the top lines and he and (DeMelo) have done a great job of eliminating those top players’ opportunities.”

Growing as a player, a person and a leader is part of the process Morrissey enjoys.

“I had a chance to play with (Byfuglien) my first 35 games. That was a lot of fun and kept me loose and excited every day on the ice in the NHL playing next to a guy like that,” said Morrissey. “As a defenceman, I think it takes a little longer before you start to really settle into your game – whether that’s a couple hundred games or whatever that may be.

“I still feel at 600 games in, I’m still looking at ways to improve, ways to get better.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld