Josh Morrissey has seen this movie before, several versions of it. His general manager is usually the star of the show, while the supporting roles change every year.
Jets’ Josh Morrissey ‘as curious as anyone’ as deadline approaches
For the Winnipeg Jets defenceman, the NHL trade deadline is appointment viewing.
“Everyone’s paying attention to the names being thrown around out there,” Morrissey said on Saturday. “As a fan of the game, are there going to be trades happening that nobody saw coming? It’s an exciting time of the year to spectate.”
Kevin Cheveldayoff isn’t usually a spectator.
If his team looks like a Stanley Cup contender, he’ll add.
“But they’re pretty calculated in how they look at it,” Morrissey said. “I’m as curious as anyone. Each year is a little bit different, too. There’s not really a template, like, ‘Hey, you’re having a great season and automatically you add.’ Some teams don’t and then they end up having great playoffs.
“Other times that big addition can be the difference between maybe winning a series.”
That’s something the Jets haven’t been able to do the last two seasons.
Last year, Cheveldayoff landed forward Tyler Toffoli and defenceman Colin Miller on deadline day, forward Sean Monahan a month earlier.
They still lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Two years ago he was a little less aggressive – Vlad Namestnikov his final-day haul, Nino Niederreiter before that – with the same post-season result.
Those sequels still beat the movie Morrissey remembers from three years ago, wondering if the Jets were selling or buying on their way to missing the playoffs.
This seems like the best team, yet. Whether that leads to a more aggressive move or something closer to standing pat, who knows?
“Whatever decision you make, if you end up winning you look like a genius, and if you don’t win then people will be criticizing the move,” Morrissey said. “We have a great room, we have great chemistry, a great team. If they feel the need to add then we embrace that opportunity. And if they feel we’ve got the right mix – that’s why they get paid to do their job.”
So grab your popcorn and have a seat. The show’s about to begin.
“As a player you’re just along for the ride,” Morrissey said. “It’s a lot more fun situation to be where we’re at than the alternative.”
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