MILAN — Josh Morrissey has caught a serious case of Olympic fever.
The Winnipeg Jets defenceman admits there have been plenty of “pinch-me” moments since touching down in Milan last Sunday.
The first skates with Team Canada, glancing around and fully appreciating the skill level surrounding him. Life around the athletes’ village, including mingling with competitors from different sports and countries. And the highlight so far: an up-close look at Canada’s silver-medal performance in short-track mixed relay speedskating during a Tuesday team outing.
“It’s inspiring. It inspires you to want to get a medal,” Morrissey told the Free Press on Wednesday.
“Just cool to see, especially in that short-track race, there’s so much that goes on. It’s pretty chaotic. I had never watched speedskating live before. It was just incredible to see the athletes on the biggest stage compete and perform and, at the end, the medal ceremony was pretty inspiring.”
MIKE SEGAR / REUTERS
Team Canada’s Josh Morrissey (centre) watches drills at practice on Sunday alongside teammates Seth Jarvis (left) and Brandon Hagel. The team is feeling inspired after watching Canada capture short-track speedskating silver on Tuesday.
Being part of something bigger has resonated with him.
“When you come over here to the Olympics and you get to experience being part of the broader Team Canada and broader Olympic games and sports, to be able to go there and support the other athletes, the other Canadians, is really cool,” he said.
In fact, Morrissey is already scheming with fellow Canadian defenceman Cale Makar — a frequent off-season training partner in Calgary — about a possible visit to that city’s Olympic Oval next summer and a test run around the track.
“A bunch of us were kind of mentioning it would be fun to try it some time,” he said.
“I think it’s very different. We were talking to a few of the athletes and they had said they made the switch from hockey when they were very young. If you start skating in hockey skates, they were saying, it would be hard to make that transition. But yeah, I would like to try it sometime.”
“It inspires you to want to get a medal.”
For now, though, the focus is firmly on his own blades.
Morrissey and the rest of Team Canada open tournament play Thursday afternoon in Milan (9:40 a.m. CT) against Czechia, the first of three round-robin games. And much like the skaters he watched a night earlier, speed figures to be Canada’s calling card.
“Connected and fast,” is how Morrissey described Canada’s keys to success. “Being able to play as a group of five all over the ice. Whether that’s breaking the puck out, obviously offensively. And defending. I think we want to be tough to play against. Aggressive and not give up any space on the ice. I think just connected and aggressive all over the ice.”
There was a noticeable uptick in tempo at Wednesday’s practice, particularly compared to Sunday night’s jet-lagged session, which came just hours after the team stepped off the plane.
“I thought the pace was good, the execution is good and everyone is getting ready to go,” said Morrissey.
It helps when the ice is packed with 25 of the country’s elite players.
“It’s pretty surreal,” said Morrissey.
GRAHAM HUGHES / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Team Canada’s Connor McDavid (left) and Sidney Crosby during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament. The Olympic squad is packed with 25 of the country’s elite players.
“You obviously try to take it in and see how much talent there is. But of course, when you’re out there, you’re just playing and kind of in the moment. But to kind of see some of the things guys do out there, you pinch yourself sometimes.”
Morrissey looks to be on Canada’s second pairing along with St. Louis Blues defenceman Colton Parayko, which should mean drawing plenty of tough assignments especially once the playoffs begin. The duo didn’t need any introduction — they were together last February at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“It’s great. I think obviously as partners, the more time you can play with anybody it helps,” said Morrissey. “It seems like we kind of had an instant connection last year. I think we suit each other’s games really well. It’s nice to have that familiarity.”
He doesn’t need to be reminded how that tournament ended for him personally. Morrissey was sidelined by illness and missed the gold-medal game — a 3-2 overtime victory over the United States.
This time, he hopes to be in the middle of it.
“I think there’s always that anticipation and excitement to get going.”
After Thursday’s opener, Canada faces Jets teammate Nino Niederreiter and Switzerland on Friday (2:10 p.m. CT), then wraps up pool play Sunday against France (9:40 a.m. CT). Puck drops on the quarterfinals on Feb. 18.
“We want to get started on the right foot,” said Morrissey.
Any extra nerves, considering this officially marks the return of NHL players to the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games?
“I think there’s always that anticipation and excitement to get going,” he said.
“Playing in other events, whether it’s during the NHL season, playoffs, lots of guys have experienced preparing for big events. I’m sure there will be that excitement level. But I think you lean on other experiences in the past, and your preparation, and go about your day.”
Morrissey is going to have approximately 20 family members and friends here in Milan cheering him on, which he says means the world to him.
“It’s not a tough sell getting people to Italy for the Olympics,” he joked.
He’s also enjoying crossing paths in the village with Jets teammates Niederreiter, Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor — the latter two representing the United States.
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For the next 10 days, are they frenemies?
“Obviously we cross paths and you say ‘hi’ to the guys, ask how things are going. But everyone is kind of on their own schedule as well. Practice times and game schedules, meetings, all other things,” said Morrissey.
“Of course, you want to compete and it’s fun to compete against them. And it’s fun to just see them in the village and ask how their experience is going.”
Morrissey’s is going great, so far. And a golden ending would really make this a trip of a lifetime.
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Mike McIntyre
Reporter
Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
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