\u201cIt is what it is. It sucks when, first and foremost, a guy that I\u2019ve played my whole career with and consider my friend, feels the need to make a move \u2026 on that side of it, it sucks,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s such a good friend and we\u2019ve been together for so long, but you know it\u2019s the nature of the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys want trades and things like that from time to time, so it happens, but like I said, there was definitely that personal relationship disappointment there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morrissey and Hellebuyck \u2014 drafted in 2012 and 2013, respectively \u2014 both made their NHL debuts during the 2015-26 season and have been teammates ever since. Despite that long-time relationship, Morrissey admitted he found out about Hellebuyck\u2019s trade request \u201cwhen everyone else did.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Jets star netminder for 11 consecutive seasons released a statement through his representation in late August, confirming he had privately requested a trade earlier in the off-season and was now willing to do so publicly. His request came on the heels of a 35-35-12 season for Winnipeg, as the franchise missed out on the playoffs for just the second time in the last nine seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family,\u201d Hellebuyck said in his statement.<\/p>\n
And with the Jets having yet to move the three-time Vezina winner, Morrissey acknowledges it\u2019s hard to evaluate the team heading into the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t really comment on what (Hellebuyck\u2019s trade request) does to the team,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously, (Hellebuyck) is one of the best, if not the best, goalies in the world, and so having him in our lineup every day gives us a chance to win every night. But I don\u2019t know what that\u2019s going to look like, nobody knows if he\u2019s going to be here or not \u2026 so I can\u2019t say if it makes us worse. \u2026 Obviously, we hope he\u2019s back at some point and playing for us for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
How does Morrissey plan on preparing for the upcoming season with so much uncertainty?<\/p>\n
\u201cAll you can do as an individual is prepare in the summer, prepare right now for training camp. And as a group here, our job is to have the best shortened, abbreviated camp we can so we\u2019re ready to roll and get off on the right foot and build off things that have been part of our identity in the past that maybe we got away from last year,\u201d Morrissey said. \u201cWhile obviously you can\u2019t ignore it and there\u2019s a little bit of noise, that\u2019s out of my control.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Hellebuyck\u2019s request seemingly followed a recent trend of American NHLers asking out of Canadian franchises, joining the likes of Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk, Morrissey isn\u2019t convinced of a causal relation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand connecting the dots, but on the long term, it\u2019s a few pieces,\u201d he said. \u201cI guess it\u2019s being made a bigger deal than it is, in my view.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n
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