Josh Morrissey
Jets all-time leading scorer among defencemen and alternate captain.
Josh Morrissey, born March 28, 1995, is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL. The Jets picked him 13th overall in the first round of the 2013 draft.
Morrissey started young, playing in the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a Calgary Flames minor team. The Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL selected him sixth overall in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft after he played for the Calgary Royals Gold and was named the top bantam defenceman in southern Alberta. He debuted in the WHL in 2010 with five games for Prince Albert, spent most of that season with the Calgary Royals midget AAA team, and played for Team Alberta at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax, helping them win a bronze medal.
In 2012–13, Morrissey led Raiders defencemen in scoring with 15 goals and 32 assists, a +14 rating, and 91 penalty minutes. That season, Prince Albert posted a winning record for the first time since 2003–04. After being drafted by Winnipeg in the summer of 2013, he was named Raiders captain before the 2013–14 season. The Jets signed him to a three-year, two-way contract on October 3, 2013, but he returned to Prince Albert. That season, he finished second in WHL scoring with 28 goals and 45 assists (73 points) in 59 games, along with a +6 rating and 59 penalty minutes. The Raiders finished fourth in the East Division and were swept in the first round by the eventual Memorial Cup champions, the Edmonton Oil Kings.
During the 2014–15 season, on December 10, 2014, Morrissey was traded to the Kelowna Rockets. He helped them win the WHL championship and reach the 2015 Memorial Cup final, where they lost to the Oshawa Generals.
Morrissey was called up to Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate, the St. John’s IceCaps, during 2013–14, playing eight regular-season games and 20 in the 2014 Calder Cup playoffs. The next season, he was assigned to the new AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, but got a late-season call-up to make his NHL debut on March 5, 2016, at home against the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first NHL goal on November 15, 2016, in a 4–0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, finishing his first full season with 6 goals and 20 points in 82 games. In his second season, he had 26 points in 81 games, helping the Jets reach the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Quick Facts
- Height
- 6 ft 0 in
- Weight
- 194 lb
- Born
- 28 March 1995
- Birthplace
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Winnipeg Jets
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Morrissey played youth hockey with the Calgary Flames minor team at the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was selected sixth overall by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft after being named the top bantam defenceman in southern Alberta. He made his WHL debut in 2010 and helped Team Alberta win bronze at the 2011 Canada Winter Games. In 2012–13, he led Raiders defencemen in points with 15 goals and 32 assists. After being drafted by the Jets, he was named captain of the Raiders for the 2013–14 season, finishing as the WHL's second-leading scorer with 73 points. He was traded to the Kelowna Rockets in December 2014 and helped lead them to a WHL championship and the 2015 Memorial Cup final.
Morrissey made his NHL debut on March 5, 2016, against the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first NHL goal on November 15, 2016, in a 4–0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. In his second full season, he recorded 26 points in 81 games and helped the Jets reach the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, where he was suspended one game for cross-checking Eric Staal. He was named alternate captain on October 1, 2019. On March 7, 2025, he became the Jets' all-time leader in scoring by a defenceman, passing Dustin Byfuglien.
Internationally, Morrissey won gold at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships and the 2015 World Junior Championships, where he was named to the All-Star First Team. He won silver at the 2017 IIHF World Championship. He participated in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off but missed the final due to illness. He was named to Canada's roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics but exited the opening game against Czechia due to injury and missed the remainder of the tournament, where Canada earned silver.
Reader's Guide
Josh Morrissey's significance lies in his steady rise from a top WHL prospect to a cornerstone defenceman and alternate captain for the Winnipeg Jets. His selection 13th overall in 2013 marked the beginning of a career that would see him become the franchise's all-time leading scorer among defencemen, surpassing Dustin Byfuglien in March 2025. His eight-year, $50 million contract extension in 2019 underscored his value to the organization. Morrissey's leadership was recognized with the alternate captaincy in 2019, and his durability is reflected in playing 82 games in his first full NHL season. On the international stage, he contributed to gold medals at the World U18 and World Junior levels, and silver medals at the World Championship and 2026 Olympics, though illness and injury prevented him from playing in the finals of the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Olympics. Off the ice, his community involvement includes serving as an ambassador for The Dream Factory and co-owning a restaurant, The 44, opened in 2024. His legacy is that of a reliable, high-scoring defenceman who has set franchise records and represented Canada at multiple levels.
Did You Know?
- Morrissey was named captain of the Prince Albert Raiders before the 2013–14 season.
- He co-owns a restaurant called The 44, which opened on April 21, 2024.
- He missed the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off final due to illness.
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