Jets’ Josh Morrissey suffers lower-body injury vs. Maple Leafs, will not return

The 28-year-old Morrissey left the game late during the first period after blocking a shot from Maple Leafs’ forward Matthew Knies in front of the Jets’ net. He would head straight to the locker room.

Through 45 games this season, Morrissey has seven goals and 26 assists for 33 points, third on the team in points and first among Jets’ defenseman, and leading the team in average ice time with 24:33.

Now in his ninth NHL season, spent entirely with Winnipeg, Morrissey has 63 goals and 212 assists for 275 points, averaging 22:27 of ice time in 546 career games. Taken 13th overall by the Jets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Morrissey has evolved into one of the most reliable blueliners in the league.

Morrissey is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $50 million contract signed in September 2019, which made him the Jets’ highest-paid defenseman.

Going into Wednesday night’s game with the Maple Leafs, the Jets are 30-11-4 with 64 points, first in the Western Conference’s Central Division and second overall in the conference. Despite losing 4-1 on Monday vs. the Boston Bruins — the first time they’ve allowed more than three goals in a contest in 35 games — the Jets are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. After Wednesday’s game in Toronto, both teams fly back to Winnipeg for the second half of a home-and-home on Saturday at 7 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. CST.