The two-year, ‘bridge’ style contract is worth $6.3 million ($3.15 million annually) and ‘bridges’ the gap between a short term one-year fix and a long-term solution. Although it took some time to complete, the 23-year-old is ecstatic to sign back with Winnipeg the eve before the NHL preseason.
“It felt like an eternity the last number of days,” Morrissey said Monday morning from Bell MTS Iceplex. “I love playing here, and love being a Jet. I hope I can be here for a long time in the future.”
Morrissey explained that he was watching NFL football on Sunday afternoon when he heard the news. He was with a handful of teammates keeping close tabs on their fantasy players, as the Jets always run a fantasy football league for those interested. “It was pretty cool to be with those guys when I got the news. Obviously talking to your family and those people close to you, it was a pretty cool day as well.”
After being drafted 13th overall to the Winnipeg Jets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Morrissey has put together 20 and 26-point campaigns, as well as a 16-game postseason run in 2017-18. The 6-foot, 195-pound defenceman played his junior hockey in Prince Albert, where he amassed 66 goals, 196 points and 276 penalty minutes in 249 regular season Western Hockey League games.
The Winnipeg Jets kick off their preseason Monday night with a Central Division matchup against the visiting Minnesota Wild. Action gets underway from Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place at 7:00 P.M. central.
