Jets’ Josh Morrissey suffers upper-body injury

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left Wednesday’s win over the Colorado Avalanche early after sustaining an upper-body injury. The injury occurred at the end of the first period, when Morrissey attempted to hit Avalanche forward T.J. Hughes, but missed and hit the boards instead. The defender was on the ice for the start of the second period but did not take another shift after that. Head coach Scott Arniel had no update on Morrissey after the game.

Winnipeg will lose their top defender for the duration of Morrissey’s injury. He leads the Jets blue line with three points and 23:35 in average ice time through the first three games of Winnipeg’s season. The Jets double shifted their remaining left-defenders following Morrissey’s absence, leading Dylan Samberg to 25:25 in ice time – just his seventh time he received more than 25 minutes in a single game over the course of his career. Samberg recorded two assists and five hits in Winnipeg’s three-goal effort. Mario Ferraro also received 23:36 in ice time, though he routinely exceeded that mark while serving as the San Jose Sharks’ top defender over the last six seasons.

The Jets are currently carrying Haydn Fleury as their extra left-defender. Fleury played in 38 games with Winnipeg last season, with many of them coming in March and April. He finished the year with four points, a minus-18, and 54 hits. Fleury likely won’t be tapped for a major role should he move into the lineup – but his presence will help shoulder responsibility with Samberg and Ferraro. Winnipeg will hope that support can help Samberg – and right-defenders Neal Pionk and Dylan DeMelo – make up for Morrissey’s missing offense.

Through four games, Morrissey is the only Jets defender with more than two points. He has long been a staple of the Jets offense, with at least 10 goals and 55 points in each of the last four seasons. That includes a career-year in 2022-23, when Morrissey recorded 16 goals and 76 points in 78 games.