WINNIPEG – Josh Morrissey spent the last two days in Las Vegas as the Winnipeg Jets’ representative at the National Hockey League media tour, but that didn’t stop him from hopping on the ice in Winnipeg at hockey for all centre Thursday.
He joined his teammates for a 75-minute informal skate, after which he spoke to an assembled group of reporters and realized quickly he didn’t leave the bright lights of Vegas behind.
“It was a lot of lights in my eyes, just like this, so I’m not sure if I’m going to need a few days in the dark,” laughed the 28-year-old defenceman, who had lights from a couple video cameras focused squarely on him.
“It was fun. I had an experience at the All-Star game last year being with the top guys,” Morrissey said. “You realize you know a lot of guys and then there is a chance to meet a lot of new guys too who are either elite players or have been elite players for a long time. Anytime you’re in that environment, it’s motivating to brush shoulders with those guys and be part of that group.”
He placed himself firmly in that group of elite players with a breakout 76-point season in 2022-23, earning consideration for the Norris Trophy throughout the campaign. He didn’t end up as one of the finalists, but now he’s looking to do his part to help the Jets return to the playoffs and hopefully go further than they did last spring.
Thursday morning was also the first chance Morrissey had to congratulate Adam Lowry on being named captain. The news was officially announced in a press conference on Tuesday, and Morrissey – who has served as an alternate captain since the start of the 2019-20 season – made good on a promise he made on the Jets Instagram account by hugging Lowry in the room.
“A little half hug this morning, I tried to keep it cool,” he said. “I’m super pumped for him. He’s a great leader. We’ve kind of grown up through the Jets system together and even before that in Calgary being a few years apart. We’ve known each other a long time, we’ve seen each other a lot in the summer, and we’re good friends. He’s super deserving, he’s earned it, and he’s going to do a good job.”
Morrissey and Mark Scheifele will remain as alternate captains, and will form a leadership group comprised of players that have all been drafted and developed by the franchise. Scheifele and Lowry were selected in 2011, while Morrissey was picked in 2013.
“We’re all pretty tight,” said Morrissey. “It’s pretty cool that we were all drafted, developed within the organization. We’ve been here and done it together. That’s been the general thought. We’re going to try to continue to grow on our leadership group that we had last year that goes outside of the guys wearing letters. In a perfect world you have a full team of guys leading the way. That’s what we’re trying to do here.”
MAKING AN IMPRESSION
It appears Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, and Rasmus Kupari are making quick impressions on their new teammates.
“Alex had two or three goals in the little scrimmage, so we know he can score,” Morrissey grinned.
Iafallo comes into the 2023-24 season with double-digit goal totals in each of the last five seasons, with his career-high of 17 coming in 2021-22 and 2019-20.
To his credit, Vilardi also set career numbers in goals (23) and points (41) last season and 23-year-old Rasmus Kupari looks to build on the 66 NHL games he played last year – the most NHL games he’s played since joining the league in 2020-21.
While those three players – acquired in return for Pierre-Luc Dubois – continue to get acclimated to Winnipeg and their new teammates, their acquisition also sent a strong message to the Jets room.
“They didn’t go the route of acquiring draft picks and made a statement in acquiring players that are really good and going to help us try to win games right now,” said Morrissey. “You see those guys in the West three times a year. I’ve always liked each one of their games. I think when you’re up close, on the same side, passing it around, you see a lot more of the nuances and the skill the guys have.”
Brenden Dillon is equally impressed, and as a defenceman, he’s seen a lot of them.
“You see the players and getting on the ice with them, and seeing they’re really good,” Dillon said. “We’ve made some changes here and gotten deeper.”
He felt the depth of the Vegas Golden Knights was one of the reasons they won the Stanley Cup in June.
“You see how that team was built, the depth they had, they had six D that were hard to play against, they had forwards that were able to take advantage, special teams were clicking, and they had the goaltending,” he said. “It’s no crazy recipe that the other 31 teams don’t know about.”
Dillon admits he didn’t watch too much of the postseason, but once August 1 rolled around, the itch to return to the ice came back.
Now he’s here, ready to begin the journey once again.
“Talking to the guys the last couple of days and seeing everyone around, you’re excited that it’s hockey season.”
