Boston Bruins: Jimmy Vesey Will Consider Boston When Signing NHL Contract In August After Deciding To Not Sign In Nashville
Jimmy Vesey’s name has been making headlines for months since informing Dave Poile and the Nashville Predators that he would not be signing an entry-level contract with them back in March. Choosing to forego his contract with the Predators, the team that drafted him in the third round, 66th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, also meant that Vesey was willingly missing the opportunity to play in the NHL playoffs this season. The Nashville Predators are holding on in the playoffs against the San Jose Sharks in a very intense, instant-classic series, but Jimmy Vesey’s name is still front-and-center in the news.
After excelling in college as a member of the Harvard Crimson, Vesey became a highly sought-after commodity who was scouted by multiple NHL teams due to the off-chance that he wouldn’t sign in Nashville. Those teams made a smart decision, because evidently, a small chance is still a chance, and Vesey is set to be a free agent on August 15th. During the 2014-15 season, Vesey scored 32 goals and assisted on 26 for 58 points in just 37 games to go along with a plus-23 rating. This season, Vesey scored 24 goals and added 22 assists for 46 points in 33 games as well as a plus-11 rating. There isn’t much that Jimmy Vesey can’t do, and he projects to not only be NHL-ready next season, but it’s also expected that he’ll be able to play a big role on a team in his first season.
When asked if he wanted to sign with the Boston Bruins by Stephen Harris of The Boston Herald, Jimmy Vesey’s answer was simple, and gave Bruins’ fans something to look forward to:
“I think the Bruins will definitely be on my list of teams,” Jimmy Vesey said.
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Playing for the Boston Bruins seems like the most logical-choice for the 22 year old, North Reading, Massachusetts-native. After growing up in Massachusetts, Vesey played for four seasons with the Harvard Crimson, and staying in Boston seems like it would be the perfect fit. With Loui Eriksson likely pricing himself out of Boston this season, the Bruins will need to find an instant-replacement in their top-six. Jimmy Vesey looks like he could slot right into the lineup alongside David Krejci, but the decision will ultimately come down to what Vesey wants.
Despite the apparent match-made-in-heaven opportunity, Jimmy Vesey isn’t rushing into any decisions. There will be a lot of suitors for the young forward on August 15th, and his decision will come down to whatever is best for him, whether that be in terms of the city, the people around him, the direction of the franchise, among other factors. “On Aug. 15 I can start talking to teams, and see what they’re going to say to me,” Vesey said. “Then, I think we’ll probably take several days after that to come to a decision.”
Next: 2016 NHL Draft: Julien Gauthier
The Boston Bruins are deep in the race for Jimmy Vesey, and his services are sorely needed on a Bruins club still looking to find it’s identity. After two consecutive missed-postseasons, the Bruins need to make moves now to fix their roster; Jimmy Vesey would be a good first piece.