Morrow hopes to settle down in Winnipeg
Smooth-skating Jets defenceman learned that pure skill would take him only so far
If Joe Morrow can clearly see how he has to play to be a regular NHL defenceman now, it’s understandable, because vision has been part of his life forever. Mom Dorrie is a retired optometrist, and his dad Dave, a former Edmonton Oil Kings blueliner, looks after the Sherwood Park Eye Centre.
Still, it’s been trial and error for the 2011 first-round pick, who may well be part of the Winnipeg ’s second defence pair with Tyler Myers when the Jets face his hometown Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
The Jets are Morrow’s fifth team since the Penguins drafted him. He then went to Dallas in the Brenden Morrow trade, then to Boston in the Tyler Seguin blockbuster, then he signed in Montreal, and was traded here last February for a fourth-round draft selection.
Then a star was born in April when he sifted a long shot through traffic for the late-game winner in the playoffs against Minnesota.
Morrow is built for today’s NHL game. He’s a very good skater and a puck mover. But he’s also learned how to defend to a point where coach Paul Maurice and Charlie Huddy, who looks after the Winnipeg back-end, like what they see. At 25, after travelling some tough stretches, he’s figured out who he is and what he can bring to the table.
“I’ve bounced around a few teams and organizations and I hope this is the end of the road,” said Morrow, a Portland Winterhawks junior teammate of Ty Rattie.
“I understand the league now and how things work and that skill can only get you so far,” said Morrow, who was a dynamic offensive defenceman in Portland. “You need a work ethic and a mindset to propel you to stay in the league. It’s an every day, 365day job. It’s not just a game, you can’t go through the motions.
“I’ve grown from an 18 and 19-year-old playing junior hockey, somebody who was pretty dominant and on top of the world, to being humbled by how many phenomenal players there are in the league, from dressing room to dressing room.”
He was drafted 23rd overall because he had the puck a lot and did something with it. That didn’t translate to running a power play at the NHL level, though. Not regularly, anyway.
“In the NHL, you get people who specifically are on a power play and they’re amazing at their jobs. It’s like being a doctor. You specialize and you stick to it. I found out that defencemen in this league have to be versatile, and if you can’t play defence just a little bit, you won’t be here long,” he said.
His dad, who was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the fourth round in 1977 and by the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association, gave the pros a shot but retired in his early 20s. He probably didn’t hang in long enough, but he coached Joe until he got to junior, and obviously his boy has been humbled and battle-hardened to be where he is now.
“I don’t think other teams missed something in me ... I clearly wasn’t doing something on my end. Teams watch you for so long and know how you play. And to choose what route you take, you have to look in the mirror and can’t blame anybody else.
“That’s a character trait you need to stay in the NHL. Trust is earned in this league (with coaches),” said Morrow, who grew up on a farm in Strathcona County, helping with the harvesting, throwing bales of hay around.
So he knows work. And his dad has been his sounding board, forever.
“We text after every game,” said Joe. “I appreciate his input. He knows what to tell me and how to get through to me.”
Now, it’s Maurice he has to impress most, however.
“What we learned pretty early on after getting him (Montreal) was that he could sit out games ... he was almost like a really good backup (goalie),” said Maurice. “But he fit us with his skating. What Joe hasn’t had is an opportunity to start in the lineup and get comfortable there.”
Off-season back surgery to Dmitry Kulikov opened a spot in the top six right off the hop. He had a strong camp and he’s carried it through.
“There’s a confidence there now and with his skating and puck-handling, that’s the NHL game,” said Maurice.