The Jets announced today they’ve recalled defenseman Kale Clague from AHL Manitoba. In the corresponding move, they moved star lefty rearguard Josh Morrissey to injured reserve with the upper-body injury he sustained in Canada’s group stage opener at the Olympics. Since it’s retroactive to Feb. 12, he’s eligible to come off at any time.
Yesterday, there were conflicting reports on how much time Morrissey would miss. TSN’s Darren Dreger said Morrissey would likely miss a significant chunk of time coming out of the break, while head coach Scott Arniel left the door open for him to join the team on their three-game road trip that wraps up in San Jose on March 1. They’ll have more clarity on his status later this week when he’s fully evaluated by their own doctors.
In any event, the Jets can’t afford any notable absences. A postseason push would be miraculous at this stage, sitting tied with the Flames for the third-worst record in the Western Conference while being 11 points out of a playoff spot. That’s especially considering Morrissey remains the team’s most impactful two-way player, posting a 10-32–42 scoring line in 56 games while sitting in the co-lead with even-strength partner Dylan DeMelo with a +10 rating.
With an already decimated defense group that has Neal Pionk, Colin Miller, and Haydn Fleury on IR to kick off the restart, Winnipeg needed another defenseman to ensure they could still ice six of them if a last-minute injury to anyone else presented itself on their road trip. Clague, who’s settled in as more of a minor-league option than NHL extra over the past few years, is in his first season in the organization after landing a two-way deal in free agency last summer. He has an 8-13–21 scoring line with a -12 rating in 44 games for Manitoba, tied with Ville Heinola, who was recalled over the break and remains up for the team scoring lead among defensemen.
The 27-year-old lefty has 94 NHL appearances to his name but hasn’t appeared at the top level since April 2024 with the Sabres. A second-round pick by the Kings in 2016, he had an intermediate stop with the Canadiens after being claimed off waivers in the 2021-22 season before heading to Buffalo and then Winnipeg. He owns a career 2-19–21 scoring line at the top level with a -22 rating, averaging just over 16 minutes per night.
Another Olympic disaster, This time Morrissey, Brad Marchand will probably be the next relevant player to he shutdown because of the exhibition tournament silliness.
Abysmal drafting by Chevy leaves the team with poor depth, leading to a skunk year despite career-like seasons from their stars. Hellebuyck getting healthy – and he probably won’t start until Mar. 1 – is nice but truly they should field offers for him. Bombing in the draft the past 3-4 years means a youth movement wouldn’t hurt, & anyone with trade protection has Winnipeg on their “no fly” zone…