The highly sought after captain of Harvard came to the New York Rangers two year ago on an entry level deal. What is next for Jimmy Vesey?
The New York Rangers have a few moves to assess during the offseason. One of the moves that will likely draw the most scrutiny will be how they handle the contract of young Jimmy Vesey.
Coming into the league from Harvard, Vesey had more or less a list of suitors to select from. Selected by the Nashville Predators in 2012. Vesey elected to not sign with the Predators and take offers from around the league. Vesey allegedly met with seven teams, and signed with the Rangers on Aug. 20, 2016.
Vesey has certainly drawn the attention of many teams since his decision to not sign with the Nashville Predators. In his two seasons with the Rangers, he has put up 27 and 28 points respectively. He’s served mostly as a bottom six two way forward, however, his role increased dramatically with the movement of much of the Rangers top six.
Related Story: Rangers RFA most likely to be traded
Pay grade
The Rangers signed Vesey to a two year contract at $1.8 million. Making about a million a year is fair considering his play. Some players like Dom Moore and J.T. Miller were paid quite similarly in terms of points to salary. Miller was paid roughly 2.5 million after a 48 point campaign, and Moore was paid 1.5 million after a 20 point season.
Despite Vesey producing a bit more offensively, Moore had played a crucial defensive role. Vesey and his role have yet to been decided under the new head coach. Although early on under Vigneault, Vesey played very offensively.
Unfortunately, his opportunities on offense slowly decreased as the Rangers moved players like Michael Grabner, and Rick Nash. Grabner also provides a good comparison to Vesey and his contract. Grabner posted 18 points and signed a contract worth 1.6 million.
The defensive game of the young American certainly leaves something to be desired however. Both Moore and Grabner provided some decent defensive support, and Miller was far more offensively talented.
Related Story: Rangers playing the long game
Bottom line
Vesey has few points going against a significant pay raise, and despite his position on the team, he may not be able to finagle anything. At best, Vesey should see 2.5 million or less, and even then, he should be signed for 2-3 seasons.
Anything more expensive, or longer than that, is a risk that the Rangers should not take. There are players that can do half of what Vesey can do currently for half the predicted cost. He most likely will be looking for a decently long contract with a decent payday, however, the Rangers should not let it happen unless there is a clear beneficiary.
With a big negotiation in hand, Jeff Gorton should try and work with Vesey to maintain him on hand, in the case he improves dramatically under head coach Quinn. However, a good deal should be the first priority.