Josh Morrissey is back in the Winnipeg Jets’ lineup Tuesday night, and that gives a team in need of a lift its most important defenseman just in time for a matchup with the New Jersey Devils.
The Jets announced ahead of the game that the 31-year-old would return after missing time with a wrist injury suffered on October 7 against the Colorado Avalanche. Winnipeg has felt the difference with and without him: the Jets are 3-1-0 when Morrissey plays this season, but 4-8-2 without him. During that stretch, their defense has been under heavy pressure, posting the fifth-worst goals-against average in the league at 3.79 per game.
His presence should matter at both ends. Winnipeg has struggled to score all season, averaging 2.72 goals per game, which ranks seventh-worst in the league. Morrissey, an offensive defenseman, had three assists in four games before the injury and now gives the club another puck-moving option as it tries to shake loose an offense that has been stuck in neutral.
The timing is no accident, either. New Jersey has been one of the toughest teams in the league to generate chances against.
Through 18 games, the Devils have outshot every opponent except one. They lead the NHL with 33.7 shots on goal per game and allow just 24.8 shots against per game, the fourth-fewest in the league.
Morrissey’s return also changes the look of Winnipeg’s blue line behind him. Neal Pionk, who filled the void admirably, is expected to slide back down the depth chart after handling top-pairing duties and logging time on the power play and penalty kill. The 31-year-old has produced four goals and eight assists for 12 points, matching his total from last season in only 18 games, while averaging more than 24 minutes a night in a bigger role that helped keep the Jets afloat.
Now Morrissey can settle back into his usual spot, with the hope that he picks up where he left off. For Winnipeg, it’s a major addition on the eve of a game that carries plenty of weight as the Jets chase a fourth straight win.
In Other News...
Hellebuycks Winnipeg Return Just Reopened A Frustrating Jets Breakup
Connor Hellebuycks return to Winnipeg has already brought an awkward old chapter back into focus. Now with the New Jersey Devils, the former Jets goaltender spent time with the media in the city where he built so much of his career, thanking the fans and making clear he still has appreciation for the place he once called home. He also revisited the circumstances that led to his trade request, saying personal and family factors were part of the decision to move on.
The on-ice reunion will come with an unexpected wrinkle, since Hellebuyck will not start in the game. He said he disagrees with the choice, even as he has put together a strong record with New Jersey, and the decision only adds another layer to a breakup that never really felt clean in the first place. For Jets fans, it is a reminder that the end of his Winnipeg run was shaped by more than hockey, and the return has reopened questions that were never fully settled. [Read more 🡒]
Hellebuyck Just Added A Painful Twist To His Jets Exit
Connor Hellebuycks trade request from the Winnipeg Jets has taken on a more personal edge, with the goaltender saying the decision was shaped by a complicated set of factors rather than one simple grievance. He acknowledged the challenges of being an American player in Canada, but said those issues were not the main reason he wanted out, leaving the impression that there was more behind the move than the usual hockey frustrations.
What he did make clear was that the situation had become difficult enough to involve his family, though he stopped short of going into specifics out of concern for their privacy. Now, with the New Jersey Devils ruling him out of their upcoming game in Winnipeg, the return trip has already taken on an awkward tone, and the full story of what pushed him to that point still remains out of public view. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Must Wait Longer For Connor Hellebuyck's Winnipeg Return
Connor Hellebuycks first trip back to Winnipeg will have to wait a little longer. The Jets announced Jake Allen will get the start in goal against the New Jersey Devils, keeping the former Winnipeg netminder on the sideline for a night that had carried a little extra weight for fans and a few familiar faces in the room. Head coach Scott Arniel and captain Adam Lowry both acknowledged the emotional layer attached to Hellebuycks return, which had been one of the more anticipated storylines around this matchup.
For Winnipeg, it pushes the reunion to a later date and leaves the focus on the goaltending plan in front of a Devils team that still brings plenty of intrigue. The clubs will see each other again later in the season in Newark, giving Hellebuyck another chance to return to a building where he once played a central role. For now, though, Jets fans will have to keep waiting for the full homecoming. [Read more 🡒]