FORT LAUDERDALE – In the hierarchy of National Hockey League individual milestones, Josh Morrissey says the 1,000-game mark is one of the most sought after.
That doesn’t mean a number like 600 games – which the Winnipeg Jets defenceman will reach on Saturday against the Florida Panthers – means any less, though.
“Every time you get another 100 games it’s a cool moment,” said Morrissey after the team’s 35-minute skate on Friday. “It’s cool to be coming up on 600. It goes by fast, you hear everybody say that. A lot of great memories and it feels like I’m just getting going.”
The 29-year-old product of Calgary, AB has 17 points this season, tied for second in points by a defenceman (with teammate Neal Pionk) behind only Cale Makar’s 25. Since the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign, only three defencemen (Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Erik Karlsson) have more points than Morrissey’s 162.
Of course, points only tell part of the story when it comes to Morrissey.
He leads the Jets in average ice time per game (24:22), often going up against the opposition’s best, and isn’t afraid to put his body on the line either. His 31 blocked shots also leads the team, and with number 44 on the ice at five-on-five, the Jets are outscoring their opponents 11-9.
He’s been fifth and seventh in Norris Trophy voting the last couple seasons, and feels he’s unlocking more parts of his game as his career continues.
“I love the game and love the pursuit of getting better, the pursuit of finding ways to improve and be more consistent,” said Morrissey. “I think a lot of that comes from my dad. As a kid he instilled that mindset in me to never be satisfied.”
Morrissey, an avid golfer, referenced 15-time major winner Tiger Woods when talking about the pursuit of consistency.
“He could hit all the shots at 18-years-old, but when he was in his prime in his 20s or 30s - whenever that was - he could just do that more consistently,” said Morrissey. “So if you feel you’ve acquired a skill, and can do it three out of 10 times, is there a way you can get it to seven, eight, or nine out of 10? I think the best players in the league are able to do that on a night in and night out basis consistently.”
Two seasons ago, it was Rick Bowness who had the off-season conversation with Morrissey about unleashing the 2013 first round pick’s offensive instincts. Bowness told Morrissey that when the long-time head coach was in Dallas, Morrissey’s name was circled on the board as someone Bowness wanted his teams to get after.
Through that speech, working with then associate coach (now head coach) Scott Arniel, and the reps he puts in during the off-season, Morrissey took off and put himself in the conversation of elite defencemen in the NHL – a place he certainly belongs.
Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that game 600 comes against the Florida Panthers, and Morrissey’s first head coach in the NHL – Paul Maurice.
After Morrissey’s first five games in the NHL, he remembers being called into Maurice’s office. Morrissey had one point in the first handful of games in that 2016-17 season, and had made his NHL debut the season before, on March 5.
“He kind of had a smirk on his face, as he often does, as you see in media as well. 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 things that you do,’” Morrissey recalled. “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, whatever that may be. As I said, I still feel at 600 games in I’m still looking at ways to improve, ways to get better.”
Arniel sees that too. As a coach, though, what he loves isn’t just the point production. It’s the fact there hasn’t been a drop-off in Morrissey’s defensive game.
“There’s a lot of defenceman that are extremely good offensively and don’t get the opportunity to defend. But he takes a lot of pride in that part of it,” said Arniel. “He wanted to have on his plate and he does. He sees the top lines and he and (Dylan DeMelo) have done a great job of eliminating those top players’ opportunities. Obviously, the offensive side of his game is elite. That’s part of the success that he’s had the last couple of years.”
Morrissey’s inner drive isn’t going anywhere, and he’ll certainly be a big part of helping the Jets get back to where they want to be in the spring. But part of what makes an athlete like Morrissey so successful is the ability to take things one day at a time, and not get too wrapped up on the future or the past.
“I just love the game. I love the compete element. When I’m playing my best, that’s what drives me,” said Morrissey. “the guys that continue to get better and enjoy the game as they age, they enjoy the compete, they enjoy being around the guys and trying win games in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. Also the individual play of trying to continue to grow as a player. Hopefully I’m only about halfway there.”
