By Jeff D'Andrea

Morrissey ready to return and get even better

Oct 6, 2014 | 5:31 PM

Unless your phone has been dead for a couple of days, you’ve probably seen that Josh Morrissey has returned for the Prince Albert Raiders. That’s terrific news for the Raiders and their fans, who are already rejoicing the return of their captain.

“If he’s not the best defenceman in the league, from my standpoint, I don’t know who is,” said Raiders general manager Bruno Campese.

But Morrissey admitted he’s coming back to Prince Albert a “disappointed” hockey player. The 19-year-old had every intention to make the Winnipeg Jets this season, but he couldn’t crack the already-deep Jets blueline. As a result, the 13th overall Jets’ pick in 2013 was reassigned back to the Raiders for the second straight year.

Morrissey may be disappointed, yes, but he’s far from defeated.

“You can take it one of two ways,” said Morrissey. “There have been guys that have come back and went through the motions and didn’t benefit much from their 19-year-old season. For me, I don’t think that’s the type of character I am. As a person and as a player, I’m always trying to get better.

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“I love the game. I love coming to the rink so no matter if I’m in the Western Hockey League, the NHL, wherever, I’m going to try to get better and improve.”

Morrissey was in a very interesting situation in the preseason. In order to make the Jets this year, Morrissey had to beat out a handful of players that already had one-way NHL contracts in Grant Clitsome, Adam Pardy, Paul Postma and Keaton Ellerby, all with at least three years of NHL experience.

Clitsome, Pardy and Postma all made the club, with Ellerby reassigned to the St. John’s Ice Caps and Morrisey to the Raiders.

The only other place Morrissey could play was the Raiders in the WHL—where he has nothing left to prove.

He set the Raiders franchise goal scoring record for defencemen with 28 goals last year. That also led the WHL in goals by defencemen and was second in D-points with 73 despite playing in only 59 games.

In the first few games that Morrissey played as a Raider after returning from Jets camp, he was very critical of his own game and said he was trying to do too much. He’s learned from that and hopes he can resist that urge and just settle into his own game.

“As far as on the ice play, that’s what they warned me about last year and again this year,” said Morrissey. “Going back, your first thought might by that it’s easier (in the WHL) and you can do a whole bunch more things that you wouldn’t be doing at any level—just because you’re coming down from the NHL.

“I think the biggest thing for me is starting out in the games, playing my game, starting out with a good first shift and going from there.”

Morrissey is expected to be in the Raiders’ lineup Tuesday against the Tri-City Americans. The puck will drop at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

Draisaitl to stick with Oilers

As expected, Leon Draisaitl will start the season with the Edmonton Oilers as their second line centre. Draisaitl got two points, both assists, in six preseason games with the Oilers and was a -2.  He is still eligible to come back to the Raiders this season, but that seems unlikely.

Making moves on Monday

On Monday, the Raiders shipped defenceman Ben Verrall and forward Dylan Williamson to get down to a 24-man roster.

Verrall was sent to the Cowichan Capitals of the BCHL, where Ryan Coghlan was assigned before he was moved to the Saskatoon Blades on Sunday.

Williamson was moved to Nelson Leafs of the KIJHL. Raiders prospect Cody Paivarinta is already there in Nelson with the Leafs, and current Raider Colton McCarthy played with the Leafs as a 16-year-old.

The Captain’s Back Flex Pack

The Raiders are announcing a Josh Morrisey-themed flex pack, ‘The Captain’s Back Flex Pack.’

Which includes 10 adult flex vouchers for $150, which is only valid for 10 days between Oct. 7 and Oct. 17th. Purchasers are also eligible for a draw to win a Morrissey jersey at the Oct. 18 game against the Red Deer Rebels.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea