Josh Morrissey #44 of the Winnipeg Jets
Josh Morrissey may not be attracting as much attention this season as he did last year, but he definitely deserves it. Last season, there was a lot of talk about Morrissey’s sudden rise, as he had an impressive 76-point season, tying him for second place among defensemen. However, this season, the spotlight is on other defensemen like Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks and Cale Makar from the Colorado Avalanche.
Morrissey’s breakout season coincided with Rick Bowness taking over as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, a team previously led by Paul Maurice for nearly ten years. Bowness, along with associate coach Scott Arniel, sat down with Morrissey last season and encouraged him to take more risks and make offensive plays, which was something Morrissey hadn’t been urged to do before in his career.
Despite being the 13th overall pick by Winnipeg in 2013, Morrissey had always played a safer game, especially when paired with notable defensemen like Dustin Byfuglien, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba. However, since his meeting with Bowness and Arniel, Morrissey has emerged as one of the NHL’s top defensemen, although he may not receive as much recognition as he deserves.
This season, Morrissey’s performance has continued to improve, with notable advancements in his defensive and offensive game. He’s playing a significant role in the Jets’ defensive success, averaging the most minutes per game among the team’s defensemen. Additionally, his on-ice metrics show significant improvements in both defensive and offensive play compared to last season.
While Morrissey may not be in contention for the Norris Trophy this year, his performance is certainly approaching that level. Despite his impressive play, he hasn’t received much attention league-wide, leading some to argue that he’s being underrated, especially considering his continued improvement from last season.
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