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Shortly after he was drafted in 2013 by the Winnipeg Jets, Josh Morrissey came back to the Art Hauser Centre to show off his new team. File photo/paNOW Staff
Josh the Jet

Morrissey credits the Raiders for where he is today

Jul 27, 2020 | 9:00 AM

A lot has changed for Josh Morrissey since he was drafted by the Prince Albert Raiders in 2010. Back then, he was a timid and smiley brace-faced 15-year-old kid, hoping to one day make an impact in the Western Hockey League.

Now he finds himself as the top defenceman on the Winnipeg Jets, alongside a fat, eight-year, $50 million contract at the start of the season.

His Jets headed to the ‘NHL bubble’ in Edmonton on Sunday, where the Jets will play Morrissey’s hometown Calgary Flames in a best-of-five Qualifying Series starting on Aug. 1.

Morrissey told paNOW he wouldn’t be where he is today if it wasn’t for his time with the Raiders.

“Looking back, I wouldn’t be in my position now in the NHL without learning and improving my game on that ice at the Art Hauser Centre in front of the fans,” Morrissey said. “I always felt like I tried to leave it all on the ice every night, in every game I played at the Art Hauser. There were so many great memories. It was so much fun and I had so many great friends.”

Morrissey has been keeping tabs on the team that gave him a chance a decade ago. Morrissey was tuning in for Game 7 of the 2019 WHL Championship Series when the Raiders beat the Vancouver Giants 3-2 in overtime. As much as Morrissey wanted to lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup himself in a Raiders’ uniform, he got “chills” watching his old team win their first championship in 34 years.

“I really had a great time. On the ice, my goal was always to try and bring home a championship to the city. Obviously, I didn’t have that opportunity when I was there, but to see the guys a few years after I left win the championship and to see the fans and the city really embrace it was rewarding,” Morrissey said. “The fans are so passionate and so loyal, it just would be awesome to see a championship go there, or a long playoff run. Like I said, we couldn’t do it, unfortunately, but it was so gratifying to see that. The fans and the city really deserved that.”

While Morrissey was a Raider, he was lifted to a larger than life status. He was on the cover of cereal boxes, rode on the Raiders’ parade floats and his pictures were plastered all over the rink in various advertisements. That praise didn’t just come out of thin air. Morrissey tied a franchise record for most goals in a single season by a defenceman in the 2013-14 season with 28, which has yet to be broken or matched.

Morrissey said the fans in Winnipeg are just as crazy for the Jets as they are in Prince Albert for the Raiders, and there are a lot of similarities playing in both places.

“I like being in an environment like that where it feels like it means something every night, because it does to a lot of people. That makes it a lot more fun and makes your job even more special,” Morrissey said.

“But obviously there’s just diehard fans. It’s a hardworking community. There’s great people and great fans. I feel like there’s a lot of similarities and my time in Winnipeg here has been an absolute blast,” Morrissey said. “I love living in the city. Anyone that’s been able to watch any of our games on TV, or the playoffs a few years ago or anything, the support that we get is just outstanding. There’s a lot of parallels between the two.”

Into the bubble

Morrissey and the rest of the Jets travelled to Edmonton to settle into the NHL bubble, where they will be throughout the postseason.

A big question on everybody’s mind has been “what are the players going to bring with them?” Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin is going to be making putts in the hotel hallways. Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby made sure to bring his guitar.

For Morrissey, he wants to make sure he’ll be as healthy as he possibly can be, especially with all the time players have had off and the busy schedule ahead of them. So at the top of his list, Morrissey will be sure to bring some foam rollers and a softball to remove any muscle kinks he may have.

“And maybe some hand sanitizer, although I’m sure there will be a lot there,” he chuckled.

Morrissey was more worried about what he doesn’t have to bring—nice clothing. The NHL has relaxed the game-day dress code for its players, meaning they won’t have to wear suits on their way to the rink each game.

“Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I went to a hockey game not wearing a suit,” Morrissey said. “It’s been a long time, so that’s going to be different.”

Morrissey did say he was comfortable with the safety plan the NHL rolled out. He said he wanted to make sure everybody was going to be safe and that the NHL wouldn’t be hogging all the tests from the general public.

“It’s been an adjustment for us [players], for sure, but it’s been an adjustment for everybody,” Morrissey said. “I don’t really know anyone that hasn’t had to adjust, or who the pandemic hasn’t affected. It’s been a lot of unknowns, to be honest, over the last few months.”

But now that the return to hockey is just around the corner, Morrissey is starting to get amped up.

“Training camp’s gone quite fast, to be honest with you. It’s crept up on us. I’m excited about it,'” Morrissey said. “There’s a range of emotions, excitement and obviously a little bit of nerves hockey-wise and I guess life-wise with the new world we’re in now.”

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW

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