Jimmy Vesey hasn’t had the career he had hoped for when he entered the NHL. Now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, they have what he needs to make him a star.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have some history with one of their new forwards. In 2016 there was a 23-year-old free agent who was the talk of the NHL. The Nashville Predators had once used their 66th overall selection in the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft to get his rights. When he wouldn’t sign with the Predators, they traded those rights to the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round pick.
Jimmy Vesey chose not to sign with Buffalo either. Instead, he waited until his draft rights expired to enter the NHL, free to join any team of his choosing, provided they’d want him too. It appeared to be an astute decision for Vesey because, in that 2016 offseason, he was seen to be the prized free agent.
Vesey met with seven NHL teams, the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, before ultimately inking with the Rangers. The Leafs were believed to be one of the frontrunners thanks to employing his father Jim as a part of the organization’s scouting staff.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Jimmy Vesey
Vesey was so desirable due to having just won the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as the best player in NCAA hockey. In 33 games that season, he recorded 24 goals and 22 assists. He had a total of 144 points (80 goals and 64 assists) over his entire four-seasons (128 games) playing for Harvard University. It’s why the Islanders had their captain, John Tavares, join in on their pitch meeting to Vesey.
Things didn’t go as expected in the NHL for Vesey. He has now played 304 games in the league over four seasons. In that span, Vesey has collected 59 goals and 51 assists for a total of 110 points. He is also a career -25.
Ready to play his first games as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vesey is surrounded by the right circumstances to take his career to the next level. Some believe that the 6’3″, 202 lb left-winger should be given a chance to play on the team’s first line. However, he might be fit better elsewhere.
Here’s a fun piece of Maple Leafs trivia: The year that Vesey won the Hobey Baker, his Crimson linemate was none other than Alexander Kerfoot. It’s a relationship that should be worth exploring. Pairing the two Ivy League graduates (Vesey has a degree in government and Kerfoot’s is in economics) might restore some of the magic they had together in the NCAA.
To help Vesey’s development progress is a coach with a pedigree of assisting players to improve their game. Sheldon Keefe is the right coach for the 27-year-old to possibly unlock the potential that had the league clamoring for him in 2016. Let’s not forget that he will also be surrounded by Veterans like Jason Spezza, Joe Thornton, and Tavares. These accomplished players, along with Keefe, can help Vesey navigate taking the next step in his game.
There’s also a chance that being in close proximity to his dad, who is still on the Leafs payroll as an amateur scout, could be positive for Vesey. After all, Vesey Sr was the one who provided the sage advice to avoid playing for the Boston Bruins. He’s sure to have other useful influence.
Hopefully, being on the Leafs will mean a resurgence for Vesey. Fans will watch eagerly to see what he’s able to accomplish with his new squad.