The waiting is over; the New York Rangers have signed Jimmy Vesey!
It may sound a little bit better if Sam Rosen says that. Well, the waiting is indeed over and Vesey has chosen to sign with the Rangers. Jump for joy New York, the courting may have worked by the celebrities.
Vesey, 23, skated in 33 games with Harvard University this past season, registering 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points, along with a plus-11 rating and six penalty minutes. He won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in collegiate hockey in 2015-16, becoming the fourth player in Harvard’s history to win the award.
The 6-3, 203-pounder was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award during the 2014-15 season, as he established collegiate career-highs in games played (37), goals (32), assists (26), points (58), and plus/minus rating (plus-23). Vesey led the NCAA in goals and goals per game (0.86), and he ranked third in the NCAA in points in 2014-15. He was selected to the NCAA (East) First All-American Team and was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year.
Vesey skated in 128 career collegiate games over four seasons at Harvard (2012-13 – 2015-16), registering 80 goals and 64 assists for 144 points, along with a plus-17 rating and 66 penalty minutes. Over his last two seasons at Harvard, Vesey recorded 104 points (56 goals, 48 assists) in 70 games, averaging 0.80 goals per game and 1.49 points per game over the span. Vesey’s 56 goals in 2014-15 and 2015-16 led all collegiate players over the two seasons.
So the excitement for Broadway just got a little bit better. The Rangers were rumored earlier in the day one of two finalists on Vesey’s list. This is the second time the Rangers have been able to steal a player away from the Chicago Blackhawks, the other suitor in the sweepstakes. The first was Kevin Hayes.
We don’t know exactly what we will get from Vesey. There is a chance he begins the season in Hartford if he can’t make the team out of training camp. All likelihood, the Rangers will send him to the Traverse City tournament to see what he has.
This in my mind and much of the Rangers faithful a big score for the Rangers. A promising, young talented college kid who can help regain the speed game for the Rangers in hopes to also contribute putting the puck in the back of the net.
Jeff Gorton, many underestimated you, but you sir are having quite the off-season.