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Jimmy Vesey

Potential Landing Spots For Jimmy Vesey

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Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey is one of the better college free agents to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in recent years. Let’s break down the main contenders for his services, and why he would choose each of them.

Boston Bruins –
Why he’ll sign: Vesey played at Harvard, which is just outside Boston. He told Joe Haggerty of CSN that he’s been a Bruins fan his whole life; he wears number 19 for former Bruins captain Joe Thornton and is friends with Bruins forward Jimmy Hayes and defenseman Torey Krug. Despite signing David Backes, the Bruins still need help up front and could offer Vesey playing time with one of their top two centers in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

Why he won’t sign: The Bruins have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, and appear to be spinning their wheels as neither a bottom feeder nor a legit Stanley Cup contender. Read more

Vesey Not Expected To Make Decision Before Friday

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After all the waiting, speculating and trades that have been part of the Jimmy Vesey saga up until now, it seems as though it will stretch at least a few more days. The Associated Press (via TSN) is reporting that Peter Fish, Vesey’s agent, has told them he doesn’t intend to make a decision until Friday at the earliest. Fish expects a handful of teams to make contact once the midnight deadline passes, making Vesey an unrestricted free agent.

On Buffalo, the current owner of his negotiating rights, Fish told AP that he has a “clear understanding” of the Sabres position, and that his camp is “pleased” with the things team officials have done and said since trading for him earlier this summer.

The Maple Leafs, for their part, are expected to send a group of players to Boston this week to try and woo Vesey, according to Mike Grinnell of Channel 7 News in Boston. The team also employs his father, and drafted his brother into their system in 2014.

While the decision may not come down until Friday, there are sure to be many rumors throughout the week as teams meet with Vesey. The Hobey Baker award winner still has much to prove once the season begins, as he’ll enter the league at an advanced prospect age and without any professional experience.

Snapshots: Alzner, Vermette, Girgensons

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After undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia in June, Karl Alzner reports (via Tarik El-Bashir of NBC) that everything is going according to plan and he should be ready when training camp opens. Because the hernia came alongside a groin injury, Alzner is not quite ready to write himself a clean bill of health:

I was working out after the first week [following the procedure], which was fast. The hernia is going to be fine. The only thing is the groin; I’m still waiting for that to be 100-percent.

Alzner is currently the active NHL leader in consecutive regular season games played, with 458 (also a Captials’ record) after only missing playoff games last season. He’ll look to continue that streak as a big part of the Captials defense.

  • The Anaheim Ducks added a veteran forward today when they signed Antoine Vermette to a two-year contract, bringing in the recently bought-out center for $1.75MM per season. The Ducks released some of his thoughts on the matter today in a series of tweets, with Vermette discussing their rough play-style: “You play the Ducks, you know you’re in for a tough game. They’re skilled and big. I’m glad to be on their side.”  Another tweet from Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register had Vermette saying that he didn’t expect the buyout, and that “at no point” did Arizona bring it up with him.
  •  It seems as though almost half the teams in the NHL have now been linked to Jimmy Vesey prior to him becoming a free agent at midnight tonight. While once again reporting that Buffalo is still in the hunt, Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News gives us an interesting tidbit at the end of his latest column.  Harrington thinks it’s possible that the team would move Zemgus Girgensons if they were to be able to sign Vesey. Girgensons is currently a restricted free agent, and is coming off a down year in which he only scored 18 points. The former 14th-overall pick had a much better year in 2014-15 though, when he scored 15 goals and 30 points in just 61 games, leading some to believe he could be a key piece going forward for any rebuilding club.

Top Pending College Free Agents

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On Tuesday, another group of collegiate prospects will become unrestricted free agents.  These are players that have played out their NCAA eligibility (or at least have gone four years since being drafted) but have not signed an NHL contract.  Those teams hold their exclusive rights up to and including August 15th.

For more details about the criteria to qualify to become an August 16th UFA, take a look at our Capology 101 series.

By now, pretty much everyone knows the biggest name on this list, former Nashville 2012 third round draft pick (66th overall) Jimmy Vesey, whose negotiation rights were dealt to Buffalo in June.  There are a handful of other notables among what is a very small group of players who will become unrestricted on Monday.  Here is a closer look at the top five available August 16th free agents.

(This list excludes players who have inked a minor league contract with their drafting team such as Tony Cameranesi with Toronto.)

1) LW Jimmy Vesey (Buffalo) – He’s far and away the best player available as he’s expected to be able to step into a middle six role right away with whoever signs him.  Vesey collected 104 points in 70 games over the last two seasons with Harvard and earned the Hobey Baker Award for the top NCAA player in 2016.  He also acquitted himself well at the World Championships last May for Team USA, picking up three assists in nine games.

Unlike most August 15th free agents, Vesey is here because he chose to decline offers up to this point, not because he wasn’t tendered one which is the more common reason.  It’s expected that pretty much every team will express an interest although his agent noted they have already come up with a short list of six teams to talk to.  On Sunday, we took a closer look at who may be on that list.  Wherever he signs, he’s expected to receive a maximum entry level contract.

2) C Thomas Di Pauli (Washington) – The Capitals fourth rounder in 2012 (100th overall) made big strides in his play over his last two seasons at Notre Dame, capping off his collegiate career with 32 points in 37 games last season.   Despite the uptick in his production, he profiles as more of a bottom six forward at the NHL level and unlike Vesey, he won’t be able to step in and play right away.  We took a closer look at Di Pauli last month.

One thing he has in common with Vesey is that he too spurned an offer from Washington to get to free agency although he hasn’t ruled out signing with the Caps either.  He’s not going to garner anywhere near the hype or interest that Vesey will but he is still expected to have several suitors.

3) D John Gilmour (Calgary) – Gilmour has long been thought of as a blueliner with some offensive punch but before last season, hadn’t really shown it.  That changed in 2016-17 as the Flames’ seventh rounder in 2013 (198th overall) had a career year with Providence, picking up 23 points in 34 games.  At 5’11, he’s a bit undersized for his position which will scare some teams off but the league is trending towards more mobility and puck movement on the back end and Gilmour is strong in those areas.

4) C Quentin Shore (Ottawa) – The 2013 sixth round pick (168th overall) of the Sens has put up consistent numbers in each of the last three seasons.  While at first glance that sounds nice, it also raises some concerns about his development potentially stagnating, at least at the offensive end.  Shore, the younger brother of Los Angeles forward Nick Shore, likely doesn’t have the offensive skills to stick as a top six forward at the professional level but will need to work on his defensive game if he wants to make the jump to the NHL.

5) D Brian Cooper (Anaheim) – Cooper, a fifth rounder in 2012 (127th overall), didn’t have the greatest of senior seasons with Nebraska-Omaha but the Ducks saw enough in him to sign him to a tryout deal to finish last year at the AHL level.  He got into five regular season games as well as eight of nine postseason contests and held his own on a third pairing role but it wasn’t enough to warrant a contract with Anaheim though.  Cooper profiles as an undersized two-way bottom pairing defenseman but may have to take a minor league deal first and hope for a strong first full pro season to help him earn an NHL deal next summer.

A Closer Look At Jimmy Vesey’s Suitors

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We’re quickly approaching the last day before Harvard Crimson forward Jimmy Vesey can sign with any team of his choosing. The Buffalo Sabres hold his exclusive negotiating rights through Monday because of a June trade with the Nashville Predators. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that there have been some last minute talks between the Sabres and Vesey. Still, both the player and his agent, Peter Fish, have maintained their desire to reach free agency.

That said, let’s take a look at which teams are said to be in the running, and what kind of fit they can provide.

  • Boston Bruins: The Bruins have been named as a potential suitor for a long time now. While more recent reports suggest they may not be serious contenders, there’s reason to think they’d be of interest to Vesey. Vesey is a Massachusetts native, and his father Jim was briefly a Bruin. Despite missing the playoffs in consecutive years, few think the Bruins are a bad team. They could reasonably provide a strong shot at contention if other prospects contribute right away. One impediment is in his position. With Brad Marchand, Ryan Spooner, and Matt Beleskey at left wing, Vesey wouldn’t necessarily have to disappoint to end up on the fourth line quickly.
  • Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres hold his rights for at least the next several hours, and as mentioned above, they’re still negotiating. They also have a group that’s fairly young, and their best players will peak with Vesey. Sabres forward Jack Eichel has been playing with and recruiting Vesey all summer. There’s a lot to like about the situation in Buffalo. The problem is that it raises questions about why he has not yet signed. It’s not unfair to wonder if he already has a location in mind. If the Sabres haven’t convinced him yet, it’s hard to imagine the ability to hear out rivals will help their cause.
  • Chicago Blackhawks: Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has reportedly been watching Vesey much of the summer. The team is perhaps the most intriguing suitor for Vesey. They’re constant contenders, with three Stanley Cups this decade, and have a hole at left wing on their top line. Assuming Artemi Panarin will stay on the second line with Patrick Kane, consider the sales pitch.  If you win a left wing spot fought over mostly by rookies, you could start the season on a line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Not a bad way to start your career. It’s not every day a team can offer both an easier path to ice time and a more serious chance to win.
  • New Jersey Devils: A recent addition to the Vesey discussion, the Devils stand out among the suitors. They’re not a recent contender, a huge market, in any way connected to him, or in particular need of a left wing. But maybe that’s why it makes sense. Fish told PuckDaddy’s Josh Cooper that Vesey likes to be under the radar.  New Jersey is a calmer market, having less media. With Taylor Hall and Mike Cammalleri at left wing, nothing will be handed to him. If he underachieves in New Jersey, he goes and learns what he needs to in the minors. If he underachieves in Chicago, he’s dragging down a Cup contender in one of America’s largest cities.
  • New York Rangers: Giving us a reason to take what agents say with a grain of salt, Fish also wondered aloud about the New York Rangers. Speaking to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Fish said “it’s special playing in the Big Apple.” Agents want every team to think they have a chance, or fans to, out of hopes it will drive the bidding war. Sometimes they’ll contradict themselves to achieve this. That said, the Rangers have never had a problem recruiting free agents. They do, however, run into the same problems other listed teams do. With Rick Nash and Chris Kreider both at left wing, there’s not an obvious open spot. This likely won’t stop them from bidding, because at Nash’s age, you can’t take anything for granted.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs: The original suitor for Vesey, many NHL fans originally heard of him through rumors surrounding the Leafs. Mentioned as a potential favorite in almost every report, the Maple Leafs drafted his brother Nolan in 2014, and employ his father as a scout. As a rebuilding team, they offer many of the same age-related advantages as the Sabres do. The problem as of right now is that he’d have no idea what he’s getting into. While the only real lock to play on the left wing is James van Riemsdyk, the Leafs gave solid looks to all of Nikita Soshnikov, Brendan Leipsic, and Josh Leivo last year. They also acquired left winger Kerby Rychel from the Blue Jackets at the draft. Even if you write off the Maple Leaf careers of Milan Michalek, Brooks Laich, and Colin Greening, the organization is stacked with players with potential. Not even have would have to pan out to cost Vesey ice time. It’s not every day players with other options sign on for a tough fight to make a last place team.

Jimmy Vesey “Zeroed In” On Devils, Blackhawks

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ESPN New Hampshire’s Jimmy Murphy tweets today that pending UFA Jimmy Vesey has “zeroed in” on the Chicago Blackhawks and the New Jersey Devils as potential landing spots. This comes after previous reports suggested Vesey had interest in the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Vesey, 23, was drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft by the Nashville Predators. After refusing to sign with the Predators this year, his rights were traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a third round pick in this year’s draft. While Vesey has refused to rule out signing with the Sabres, his agent has expressed his preference to reach free agency. He has also spent much of his off-season skating with Sabres forward Jack Eichel. We also know that Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has spent time in Massachusetts watching Vesey play.

Vesey has spent the last four years playing left wing for Harvard University. Last year he scored 24 goals, 46 points, in just 33 games. Perhaps more impressively, he previously scored 32 goals, 58 points in 37 games for the Crimson in 2015. Vesey is free to sign with the Sabres, who hold his rights, at any point. He may begin to negotiate or sign with other teams on Monday, August 15th.

Latest On Jimmy Vesey

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11:57am: Speculation is running rampant now, but Adrian Dater of Bleacher Report is hearing that the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs are the finalists for Vesey, and that Jonathan Toews will be present at the Hawks’ recruitment on Monday.  He’s confirmed that Stan Bowman, the Hawks’ GM, has gone to see Vesey skate twice recently. With so many conflicting reports, the “Vesey Sweepstakes” has become the biggest story in the NHL, though he still has to prove his ability at the next level.

10:55am: Mark Divver of The Providence Journal reports that New York Islanders’ GM Garth Snow was in Foxboro yesterday to see Vesey skate. Assuming that most teams at least have some interest in the soon-to-be free agent this doesn’t come as much of a surprise, though it does add some intrigue to the next few days.

9:42am: All offseason, one of the biggest stories has been the upcoming free agency of Harvard forward Jimmy Vesey. After being selected by the Nashville Predators, Vesey would not sign and, after having his rights traded to the Buffalo Sabres a few months ago, will become a free agent on August 15th.  Here’s the latest:

Today, Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald tells us that the Vesey camp has narrowed their list down to six teams that still includes Buffalo. Vesey’s agent, Peter Fish, said:

What Jimmy wants to do is see it through. He’s wanted to go to free agency and he’s going to see it through. There’s about 4-5 teams other than Buffalo that he wants to hear from. And then after that he’s going to make a decision. I think he’d love for the Bruins to be one of those teams. I assume that we will be taking a call from them.

This, obviously, stands in the face of Joe Haggarty’s report yesterday that the Bruins had become an unlikely landing spot for Vesey. Haggarty had a source that said the Blackhawks, Devils, Rangers, Leafs and Sabres had all passed Boston on the list of likely suitors leaving the Bruins to try and make up ground in the next few days.

Fish of course, was at the Beantown Summer Classic when he spoke to reporters, making the addition of the Bruins note understandable. In the Herald piece, Harris writes that one “very-well informed area NHL scout” believes that the Blackhawks, Rangers and Bruins will eventually be the finalists. Vesey will ultimately choose whichever team he wants to play for regardless of money, since each club will likely offer him the same ELC. Fish lends credence to this, with another telling quote:

We’ve looked at depth charts with some teams and talked about them. . . . There’s obviously a lot of thought that goes into it: The city, the coach, the GM, the salary structure, how a team treats their players in the second and third contracts down the road.

Whatever happens, Vesey has a huge reputation to now uphold, as he’s been the belle of the ball this summer. If he struggles – and he likely will struggle at times – fan perception could turn quickly on the 23-year old.  We’ll keep an eye on the situation for the next few days, and look to bring you the news of his decision as soon as it happens – whether it be Monday or down the line.

Haggerty: Bruins Unlikely To Sign Vesey

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CSN New England’s Bruins beat writer, Joe Haggerty, wrote today that sources have informed him that Boston is no longer considered to be a top contender for college phenom and impending free agent Jimmy Vesey. While the Bruins remain one of the teams that Vesey has previously said he will speak with on August 15th when he can officially explore his free agency options, Haggerty does not believe that the B’s are a likely to sign him.

When Vesey announced that he would not sign with the Nashville Predators, the team that drafted him, and even after his rights were traded to the Buffalo Sabres, the Bruins were considered one of the most likely destinations for the reigning Hobey Baker winner. A hometown kid, Vesey grew up in the Boston suburb of Charlestown, and his father briefly played for the Bruins during his short NHL career. Vesey played his prep school hockey at Belmont Hill in the Boston suburb of Belmont, and then attended Harvard University during the past four years in the Boston suburb of Cambridge. Noticing a trend? Vesey himself has not been shy about his attachment to the city as well, stating that he is a lifelong fan of the Bruins and wears #19 as a tribute to Joe Thornton. However, what many don’t realize is not only the city of Boston familiar to Vesey, but the future of the Bruins is as well. Within the Bruins system currently is forward Ryan Fitzgerald, a childhood friend of Vesey’s from Charlestown who is entering his senior year at Boston College, defenseman Rob O’Gara, Matt Grzelcyk, and Matt Benning, who Vesey squared off against at local New England NCAA schools over the past four years, goalie Zane McIntyre, a fellow Hobey Baker runner-up in 2015, and even Harvard teammates Ryan Donato and Wiley Sherman. Harvard coach and former Bruin Ted Donato has also been rumored to be a top candidate for the Bruins head coaching job during hot seat periods for Claude Julien. Add in that Vesey is friends with Torey Krug and Jimmy Hayes and idolized the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup team, which included current Bruins Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, Adam McQuaid, and Tuukka Rask, and it seems as if the past, present, and future would lead many to assume that Boston has always been Vesey’s preferred destination.

However, if Haggerty’s sources are correct, that is not true and all of those connections to the Bruins are not enough to sway Vesey. He believes that the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils have all passed up the Bruins, as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres, as the most likely destination for Vesey’s services. Since all of the teams can essentially only pay Vesey the same amount, his decision is all about fit and opportunity. Haggerty believes that the draw of playing alongside Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in Chicago or Taylor Hall and the upstart Devils in New Jersey may be too much for Vesey to instead stay with his comfortable choice of sticking around in Boston.

The Bruins certainly have space for Vesey to play on the left side in Boston, with only 2017 potential free agent Marchand as a bona-fide top six player at left wing. Both Krejci and Ryan Spooner would love to have the Harvard star on their wing. Should Vesey choose to sign elsewhere though, the Bruins will not be out of luck. The team was happy with the production from Matt Beleskey last season, and was very excited by the play of AHL top goal scorer Frank Vatrano. It would also open up opportunities for the AHL’s second-best scorer, Seth Griffith, 2015 first rounder Jake DeBrusk and another NCAA dominant force, Danton Heinen, to make the team.

Regardless, Vesey is certainly a player that any NHL team would like on their roster and there is no doubt that the Bruins will make a strong push to sign him next week. Even Haggerty acknowledged to his Twitter followers that there has been little indication surrounding the eventual landing place of Vesey, and no team can be taken out of the equation before the courting process even starts. The “sources” surrounding the Vesey camp have been pegged by many as unreliable and inconsistent as well, so the Vesey saga will continue until the ink has dried on his contract. Keep an eye on this summer’s biggest story right here at Pro Hockey Rumors when Vesey hits free agency on Monday, August 15th.

Roster Crunch: Atlantic Division

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Over the past few days, we’ve looked at the final few spots on the roster for both the Pacific and Central divisions. This time, we’ll turn our attention to the East starting with the Atlantic.  This division will be in turmoil over the next few years, with clubs like the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs going through slow, deliberate rebuilds, and perennial contending squads like the Detroit Red Wings finally starting to slow down.

Florida Panthers – While the Panthers have pretty much accomplished everything they set out to do this off-season – improving the blueline with Keith Yandle and Jason Demers, getting a capable replacement for Roberto Luongo in James Reimer, and locking up their young core – they failed in one, big $5.5MM way. Dave Bolland failed his physical and therefor couldn’t be bought out. He’ll try to prove he deserves some playing time this season, but may find himself buried in the AHL to make room for Jared McCann, the prize Florida received when they dealt Erik Gudbranson to the Canucks.

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Blackhawks Notes: Line Projections With, Without Vesey

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The Athletic’s Scott Powers spends a lengthy article channeling his inner Joel Quenneville and shuffling lines in six (6!) different fashions. Last week, Powers floated the story that Quenneville may in fact unite captain Jonathan Toews with Patrick Kane, an absolute lethal combination should the Hawks manage to ink Jimmy Vesey. Below are the combinations that Powers threw out–which includes a few combinations should the Hawks land Vesey.

We’ll start with the Vesey scenario: Powers believes that Toews would be flanked by Vesey on his left and Kane on the right. Should Vesey live up to his billing and Kane continue to churn out points like he has the past two seasons, it’s almost criminal what that line could be capable of.  The second line would consist of Artemi Panarin – Artem Anisimov – Vinnie Hinostroza, giving them a potent one-two punch on the top two lines. An Andrew Desjardins – Marcus Kruger – Marian Hossa third line provides a great two-way forward line that will be overwhelmingly responsible on both ends of the ice. Powers rounds out these lines with a Richard Panik – Nick Schmaltz – Kyle Baun offering, which Powers argues, is due to the Hawks not wanting to have younger players as healthy scratches.

In his first offering, Powers pencils in what seems to be the most logical as he goes by the organizational and Quenneville-like approach. The lines:

Panik – Toews – Hinostroza
Panarin – Anisimov – Kane
Desjardins – Kruger – Hossa
Schmaltz – Tanner Kero – Jordin Tootoo

His rationale? Despite relaying the idea that Kane and Toews could be on the ice together often, Powers goes further by saying that any line arrangement with Chicago’s roster is challenging because there are only four definitive top-6 forwards: Toews, Panarin, Anisimov, and Kane. Quenneville, Powers writes, already experimented with moving Hossa to the third line during the 2016 playoffs and will most likely start him there during the regular season. Powers also reports that keeping the Panarin-Anisimov-Kane together is due in part to their production. Hinostroza led AHL affiliate Rockford in points and seems to be one of the few younger players that could earn Quenneville’s trust. Kero and Schmaltz, though on a crapshoot of a line, would bring speed and scoring to a fourth line.

Powers shuffles the chairs on the deck with his other four pairings. But disturbing the wildly dominant Panarin-Anisimov-Kane line seems premature. Even if they land Vesey, leaving this line alone would pay dividends should they be as successful as they were last season. Further, Vesey would be just as productive with the captain on his line.

Everything is contingent on what happens August 15th. But here’s guessing 29 other GM’s are hoping if Vesey doesn’t sign with them, he at least doesn’t go to the Hawks. It would make an already great team even better.

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