Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is ready for 2023-24.
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey says he has fully recovered from his lower-body injury.
Forced out of Game 3 in the first period of the Jets' opening round playoff series with the Vegas Golden Knights this spring, Morrissey missed the remainder of the postseason, ultimately watching his teammates fall 4-1 to Vegas from the sidelines, alongside Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti.
But Morrissey was back in action for the first time this past week, as he suited up for Team White Out at the Rogers Legends of Hockey Charity Skins Game at the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta. Thanks to the event, Morrissey and teammate Adam Lowry helped raise $250K for more than 270 youth-based charities across the province.
The smooth skating defender's swing appeared to be in mid-season form, and he had no trouble moving his way around the fairways at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.
"It was kind of a four-to-six week timeline," Morrissey told Aaron Vickers of NHL.com at the event. "Obviously, it's kind of the worst time of year to get hurt. You play all year and compete to have that opportunity in the playoffs. But at the same time, in a way it's better that you have months to recover and you're not rushing back."
Now exactly four months since the injury, Morrissey says he is back to fighting weight and will be ready to roll come training camp.
"I've been taking my time with it," he told NHL.com. "Really trying to do it right, using all the different modalities and things you can do. I'm 100 percent ready to go. No lingering issues at all."
Despite just qualifying for the playoffs, Winnipeg's fall from grace in the second half of the 2022-23 season still eats at the stud defenceman.
"When it was all said and done, it was disappointing," Morrissey told Vickers. "I think everyone knew there were probably some changes on the horizon. There always is in the NHL. We knew there would probably be some big moves. Disappointing that we couldn't do more with the group we had because we felt we probably could have. Just more motivation for the future."
Out went Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois, and in came Gabe Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Alex Iafallo and Laurent Brossoit, by way of trade and free agency this offseason.
"It's tough when you lose teammates and friends," he said. "I'm close with 'Wheels' and 'Duby.' But at the same time, it's always exciting when you bring in new guys.
"I look at all three of those guys as they can play anywhere in your lineup. Certainly it's exciting to see a couple of those guys who haven't really had their chance to hit their stride. I think Vilardi really took off last year and Kupari, I think, is just getting going. I'm excited to see what those guys can do and bring to our group."
Last season was a career year for the 28-year-old, as he scored 16 goals and put up 76 points in 78 games, shattering his previous career highs. And with the calendar ready to flip to September, Jets training camp for 2023-24 is just around the corner.
"I feel once August hits for sure, you're skating and ramping up again," Morrissey said. "Even the last week I felt like on the ice I started to feel that fire of wanting to get back at it. Obviously to improve on my season last year and try to have a chance to improve our team this year and go farther than we did. It was a disappointing finish getting hurt in the first round. I'm healed up, healthy and ready to go for next year."
He and Lowry fared well at the charity game, putting up a combined $70K to be donated to Emma House YYC, Big Brothers Big Sisters Medicine Hat, the Calgary Public Library Fund, Autism Asperger’s Friendship Society and the Providence Child Development Society through various hole challenges on the course.
The two competed against three other celebrity teams including:
The Puck-Stoppers: Curtis Joseph & Stuart Skinner
The C of Red: Mike Vernon & Mackenzie Weegar
The Captains: Cassie Campbell-Pascall & Marie-Philip Poulin
With golf mainly behind him, Morrissey will enter 2023-24 with a chip on his shoulder, and also a letter on his sweater. Should Jets' management make the smart decision, his 'A' would turn into a 'C' as the team's captain - a role the club has not assigned since head coach Rick Bowness stripped Blake Wheeler of his captaincy prior to the 2022-23 season.
Morrissey's leadership, on-ice skill, performance and off-ice contributions certainly fit the bill of the prototypical NHL captain.
But will it happen? Time will tell.
With the Shaw Charity Classic now off his plate, Morrissey's golf game will next be tested in the sixth running of his Josh Morrissey Classic, which is set to be held on Friday, September 8 at Pine Ridge Golf Club.
He has helped raise over $650K through The Dream Factory through his first five runnings. Last year alone, the Josh Morrissey Classic raised $191,527.00. More information on his annual tournament can be found here.