New York Rangers reward hard-working Jimmy Vesey with 2-year deal
It looks like veteran forward Jimmy Vesey has truly made the most of his second tour with the New York Rangers.
On Wednesday, President and General Manager Chris Drury announced a two-year extension that will keep him here until the 2024-25 season. Per Elliotte Friedman, the AAV is a team friendly $800,000.
Rangers extend Jimmy Vesey
The 29 year-old made an immediate impression on head coach Gerard Gallant during exhibition play to turn a Professional Tryout (PTO) into a standard one-year deal worth $750,000.
“I didn’t know much about Jimmy but he came to camp and earned a contract,” Gallant said last month. “He’s playing well on different lines, different positions, and doing a good job on the PK.”
Vesey, who has transformed his game coming out of college as a free agent from a one-dimensional offensive winger to a solid two-player, has continued to impress.
This season, while averaging 13:57 per game, he’s posted six goals and 12 points in 38 contests. Vesey’s work on the PK, where he has one shorthanded goal on the year was likely the key reason for the extension.
Per the team’s press release:
Among forwards, Vesey ranks fourth in shorthanded time on ice with a 56:08 mark and is one of three Rangers with a shorthanded goal this season. Among Rangers forwards to skate over 50 minutes shorthanded, Vesey ranks second in fewest power play goals against per-60 (5.34).
The NY Post’s Larry Brooks recently wrote how the Rangers needed to extend Vesey, who has exceeded expectations. Apparently, they listened.
“I say it every year, there are some chances I’d like to have done more with and scored on, but overall I think I’ve played well,” said Vesey, who had played the first three years of his career as a Ranger after signing as a free agent out of Harvard in 2016. “I’m pretty happy with the way it’s gone.
“I was thinking the other day that I’ve been a lot happier being here. I never wanted to leave.”
NY Post
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