Morrissey laments Scheifele's 4 Nations snub: 'Pretty gutted for him'
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey is disappointed teammate Mark Scheifele won't be joining him on the Canadian squad at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.
"I was hoping that we would both have the chance to do it and do it together,” Morrissey told the Winnipeg Sun's Paul Friesen. "So, it was bittersweet. Obviously, excited and honored, but at the same time, my heart went out, and I felt pretty gutted for him that it shook out that way. He's an amazing hockey player and has the ability to be there.
"I tried to be there to support him and just let him know that I was feeling for him because I know how much he wanted to be there."
Morrissey cracked the Canadian squad on the back end Wednesday, while Scheifele didn't make the cut at forward. The 4 Nations Face-Off will be Morrissey's first time competing in a best-on-best tournament since turning pro. He played his first full NHL season in 2016-17, which began two weeks after the World Cup of Hockey ended. That event was the last time a tournament of this type was held.
"International competition is something I've never experienced at this level, but I have had the chance to do (it) at various levels throughout my career," he said. "And putting on a Canadian jersey is just a real honor for me and something I really hoped I would get the opportunity to do on this stage."
Morrissey has become one of the most productive defensemen in the NHL. The 29-year-old entered Thursday's slate with a pair of goals and 21 assists while averaging 24:31 of ice time over 26 games. That workload would be a career best over a full campaign. Morrissey is coming off a pair of seasons in which he racked up 69 and 76 points, respectively, while logging over 24 minutes per night in both.
Scheifele has been a reliable center for years. He came into Thursday with 13 goals and 14 assists while averaging 20:15 of ice time across 26 contests. The 31-year-old nearly notched a point per game in 2023-24 with 72 (including 25 tallies) over 74 tilts, and he's two years removed from a personal-best 42-goal campaign.
The 4 Nations Face-Off runs from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.