New York Rangers: Jimmy Vesey is producing under the radar

While the New York Rangers have struggled as of late, several players are achieving new heights as professionals. Although not as flashy, Jimmy Vesey is amongst the team leaders in points.

Anytime a player eschews the team that owns their draft rights in favor of hand-picking a landing spot, a debate is sure to follow. In the case of the 2016 Hobey Baker award winner, Jimmy Vesey spurned two different teams, the Nashville Predators and Buffalo Sabres in favor of the New York Rangers.

When Vesey joined what appeared to be a New York team on the downswing, critics complained about his choice of the Rangers. Dave Lozo of ESPN once said on his then podcast “Hockey Soup,” that “Vesey could have found a beer pong partner in another city,” and that the move “did not make a whole lot of sense, since Nashville is so good.”

Ever since he made that choice, Vesey has had a target on his back from critics. Since joining New York in such a dramatic way, the forward was subject to increased expectations based on the fact that so many teams were trying to openly court him. In Vesey’s first two years with the Rangers, he approached the 20 goal mark and played a depth role.

This year, his new head coach, David Quinn, has put Vesey in a position to succeed. In fact, over the course of the first few weeks of the season, the Boston native was in the top ten in the entire league in expected goals for, a stat which measures the percentage of a player’s shots that should be a goal based on the opportunity.

Even with Vesey cooling off since the start of the season, he is still on pace to set a career high in both points and goals. The 25-year-old signed a two-year contract this summer, a bridge deal which was the front office’s way of saying “prove you should be here when the team starts winning again.”

Under the radar

What Vesey deserves credit for is taking the opportunity presented to him. The expectations surrounding the forward may not have been realistic based on his skillset when he came into the league. Winning the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s most outstanding player gives a player a certain amount of gravitas as an amateur.

Once Vesey arrived in New York, the limitation of his skillset started to become apparent. The forward is not able to create his own scoring chances and is heavily dependent on his linemates to create offense. While these type of players are not inherently bad, they should not command a salary over a certain point or be dependent on as a key contributor.

The fact that Vesey is making an impact on a transitional Rangers’ team will not be overlooked. It takes a strong level of character to persevere through transition without just phoning it in because things are difficult. The Rangers and Vesey could have easily both rolled over on the season, but there is some fight in there.

Whether or not Vesey will be a Ranger the next time the team makes the postseason is up in the air. But, if he keeps plugging away in the role he currently has, it’s a safe bet that he’ll find a way into the team’s future.