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Canada Loses Jets Defenseman for 4 Nations Final

Team Canada had to make a last-minute change to their lineup to play without a key Winnipeg Jets defenseman.

Nick Horwat

Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada defenseman Josh Morrissey (44) looks on against Team Sweden in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada defenseman Josh Morrissey (44) looks on against Team Sweden in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images
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The 4 Nations Face-Off championship game is set between the United States and Canada, but the Canadians have announced a crucial change in their lineup. As the teams took to the ice for warmups, Team Canada announced that Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey will not play.

According to Team Canada, Morrissey will miss the championship game due to an illness. The flu has been going around the tournament, forcing each team to make adjustments on the fly.

For Team Canada, this is a big blow as Morrissey was a key to their second defensive unit. He didn’t record any points in the three round-robin games for the Canadians but chewed up around 23 minutes of ice time in each outing.

In 56 games with the Jets this season, Morrissey has put up seven goals and 39 assists for 46 total points. The last two seasons have been big years for Morrissey as he hit his stride as one of the NHL’s most underrated puck movers in the NHL.

In 159 games played between 2022-23 and 2023-24, Morrissey has posted 26 goals and 119 helpers for 145 points.

Without Morrissey in the lineup, Team Canada is once again turning to Dallas Stars blue liner Thomas Harley. The 23-year-old defenseman wasn’t originally on Team Canada’s roster, but an early injury to Shea Theodore and an illness to Cale Makar forced the Canadians to make a call.

This will be Harley’s second game of the tournament. The first game in the Canadian’s first meeting with Team USA in the round-robin stage. Team USA shocked Team Canada with a 3-1 win.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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