Jets’ Josh Morrissey to return against Canucks
The Winnipeg Jets will get their number-one defenseman back after a five-game absence.
Head coach Scott Arniel told the media that Josh Morrissey will return to Winnipeg’s lineup for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Morrissey, 30, has not played since the NHL returned from the Olympic break in late February due to an upper-body injury. The Calgary native suffered the injury while playing for the Canadian men’s national team during their opening game of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics against Czechia. Morrissey missed the rest of the Olympics with the injury.
In 56 games for Winnipeg this season, Morrissey has 10 goals and 32 assists for 42 points, while averaging just over 24 and a half minutes of ice time.
Originally selected 13th overall by the Jets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Morrissey is now in his 10th full-time NHL season in Winnipeg. After showing steady and gradual improvement over his first handful of seasons, Morrissey broke out in 2022-23 with a career-best campaign of 16 goals and 60 assists for 76 points. He has since maintained that high-end play, though has never quite matched that statistical level of production.
Winnipeg could certainly use Morrissey’s mobility, puck-moving ability, and presence on the power play. The Jets rank 23rd in the NHL with 2.85 goals scored per game.
After winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season, Winnipeg is staring at the likelihood of missing the playoffs this year. With 60 points through 61 games, the Jets sit in sixth place in the Central Division and are seven points back of a the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. With 21 games left to play in the regular season, they face a steep uphill battle to make the postseason for a fourth straight season.
After facing the Canucks on Saturday, Winnipeg will host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.