Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey has been named to the NHL Network's annual Top-20 list.
Each offseason, amid the dog days of summer's slowest period through mid-August, the NHL Network slowly releases its list of the league's Top-20 players at each position.
Released systemically and over a lengthy period of time, NHL Network compiles 20 wingers, 20 centres, 20 defencemen and 20 goaltenders in advance of training camp, sparking debate amongst NHL fans throughout North America.
This time around, Winnipeg's top blueliner, Josh Morrissey, earned the honour of being NHL Networks' No. 6 defenceman in the league, earning a bump up the rankings from last year's No. 12 placement.
Morrissey helped his Jets to a league-best record and a second-consecutive Jennings Trophy for the team allowing the fewest goals against. Personally, the 30-year-old blueliner racked up 14 goals, 62 points and 22 penalty minutes in 80 games for the Jets last year. He earned his second Top-5 Norris Trophy voting finish, while leading the Jets with 24:23 ice time per game last year. He was a plus-22 and had 22 power play points on the season.
Morrissey, who is Winnipeg's heart and soul on the back-end, is up to 80 goals, 373 points and 321 penalty minutes in his 662-game career over nine seasons with the Jets.
NHL Network's full Top-20 Defencemen list:
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
- Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
- Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
- Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
- Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
- Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
- Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers
- Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
- Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
- Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
- Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars
- Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
- Adam Fox, New York Rangers
- Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
- Mikhail Sergachev, Utah Mammoth
- Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
- Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
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