Jimmy Vesey captured the attention of the hockey world when he took control of his own destiny by spurning the Nashville Predators’ offer of immediate NHL playing time ahead of the 2016 playoffs. The Hobey Baker Award winner held firm through rejecting the team that drafted him and, later, the Buffalo Sabres after his rights were traded at the 2016 draft.
A highly publicized courting process began once Vesey became an unrestricted free agent. Seven teams met with him, while an additional five were denied talks. General managers around the league glanced jealously at the Rangers after Vesey decided to call Madison Square Garden home.
Expectations were high ahead of Vesey’s 2016-17 rookie season due to his strong production across four years at Harvard, his NHL-ready body, puck-winning ability and scoring touch.
At 25, Vesey is yet to take the leap everyone expected. He spent the majority of his first two seasons as a Blueshirt in the bottom six, registering a pedestrian 0.35 points per game. Now, Vesey will need to demonstrate progress after agreeing a fresh two-year contract worth $2.275 in average annual value.
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The 6-foot-3 wing’s performances improved after he was entrusted with more responsibility after the Rangers shed Rick Nash, J.T. Miller and Michael Grabner ahead of the 2018 trade deadline. Vesey responded with eight points in 15 March games once his ice time increased by nearly a minute and a half.
It was an encouraging to see Vesey step up and deliver on a Rangers team that was light on experience and heading for a playoff-less spring.
"I'd like to really see him establish his identity so when the other teams are talking about Jimmy Vesey, they're talking about a power forward who goes out, digs pucks out of the corners and brings it to tough areas,” former coach Alain Vigneault said in late March.
Now, Vesey will be given a clean slate under new coach David Quinn. Behind the Boston University bench, Quinn saw firsthand the potential that Vesey flashed for rivals Havard in Beanpot tournaments. Quinn has outlined his desire for the Rangers to play in the “opposition's faces and make them uncomfortable every shift.”
Vesey has shown an ability to maintain possession in the corners and play through traffic. Many of his goals tend to be scored in “the dirty areas.” Quinn’s systematic changes combined with Vesey’s style of play and potential could produce that step forward Rangers fans are expecting from the 25-year-old.
RANGERS ANNOUNCE COACHING ADDITIONS
On Tuesday, the Rangers added David Oliver and Greg Brown as assistant coaches on Quinn’s staff. Assistants Benoit Allaire and Lindy Ruff and video coach Jerry Dineen remain in place from Vigneault’s staff.
Oliver recently served as the Colorado Avalanche’s director of player development across four seasons and spent the past 11 seasons in a variety of roles within the Avs’ organization. He worked alongside Quinn for four years in Colorado from 2009 to 2013.
Brown had worked as an assistant coach at Boston College since 2004 and also served as an assistant for USA Hockey at the 2014, 2017 and 2018 World Junior Tournaments. While at Boston College, Brown coached Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes.
Quinn, Oliver and Brown will inject fresh ideas into the Rangers. The focus on a youthful-trending Rangers team will be on development and this trio will look to get the most out of current NHL talents and the stockpile of prospects acquired through the trade deadline sell-off.