New York Rangers: Jimmy Vesey Climbing Over Rookie Wall

After a few months of lackluster performance, a change in linemates looks to have helped the New York Rangers’ prized youngster over the rookie wall.

Oh, the rookie wall.

While it doesn’t quite hold off all first-year players from continuing their early season success–see Skjei, Brady–it definitely effects others of a wide range of talent levels.

Somewhere atop the list of talented young players sits a 6-3 Harvard graduate named Jimmy Vesey. After a hot start to the season that saw him score five goals and one assist in nine games, Vesey cooled off a decent amount. In a jam-packed November schedule that saw the Rangers play 15 games, Vesey tallied three goals and 5 assists in the month. While those weren’t horrible numbers, they were a far cry from what they were the previous month.

Prior to last Monday night, Vesey had only tallied four goals and two assists to go along with a minus-12 rating in his last 30 games.

And it wasn’t even like Vesey was snake bitten. He was, at a lot of times, invisible out there on the ice. This could be due to Alain Vigneault stashing him on the fourth line a lot of nights, but at the same time, Vesey’s play didn’t exactly warrant being played higher in the lineup.

The Turnaround

But it has been three straight games now–although the Capitals game was to a lesser extent–that Vesey has looked like his old self.  It is definitely no coincidence that the spark in Vesey’s play has happened simultaneously with the when he was placed on a line with Rick Nash and Derek Stepan.

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Vesey has scored twice in his last three games, the first of which, the one against the Blue Jackets, was an absolute beauty, the second one, this time against the Islanders, was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

But those goals aren’t necessarily the telltale signs of the rookie’s turnaround. Vesey, who never played more than 37 games in a season at the collegiate level, has been carrying the puck with authority. He’s been drivin’ and flyin’ to the net in recent games. That is how he was effective back in October/early November and if he wants to continue to bring it at this level consistency, that’s how he has to play.

Where to go From Here?

It’s been just a matter of experience for the young Massachusetts native. We’ve seen this in the past with other players, too. It is generally the kids coming from college who hit the “rookie wall” the hardest due to their minute schedule.

Next: Rangers Not Hurt by Rick Nash's Slow Scoring

At the end of the day, it looks like Vesey has begun to find his way back to relevance with the Rangers this year. With a little help from Nash and Stepan, they have helped their teammate climb over the biggest obstacle in the way of a freshman’s success. Now let’s see where the kid can go next.