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New York Rangers: What the Blueshirts could get in return for Jimmy Vesey

By Andrew Steele-Davis

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 22: Neal Pionk #44 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with teammate Jimmy Vesey #26 during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on December 22, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 22: Neal Pionk #44 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with teammate Jimmy Vesey #26 during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on December 22, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CA – OCTOBER 18: Jake McCabe #19 of the Buffalo Sabres in action against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on October 18, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – OCTOBER 18: Jake McCabe #19 of the Buffalo Sabres in action against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on October 18, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Reports today have suggested that the New York Rangers are shopping Jimmy Vesey in potential trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres.

According to Sportsnets’ Elliotte Friedman, discussions have already taken place between the New York Rangers and the Sabres about moving Vesey.

Vesey is entering the last year of his current deal which will see him carry a cap hit of $2,275,000 in 2019-20 before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2020.

It was a career year for Vesey in 2018-19 with the left-wing posting career highs in assists (18), points (35), games played (81) and average total minutes of ice time per game (16:03).

He looked a more well-rounded player this season having fine-tuned certain aspects of his game and he, like so many others, seemed to thrive under the guidance of head coach David Quinn.

Related Story. Reports of a possible Jimmy Vesey trade. light

However, there is one major caveat not going in Vesey’s favor when it comes down to his long-term future with the Rangers and that is the fact that the franchise have a glut of wings on the depth chart.

They will likely add another one, and an elite one at that, when they select Finnish phenom Kaapo Kakko with the No.2 overall pick at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft on Friday in Vancouver if all goes to plan and the New Jersey Devils take Jack Hughes with the No.1 selection, of course.

Vitali Kravtsov also looks primed and ready to win a roster spot in training camp and, with the likes of Chris Kreider, Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil, Jesper Fast and Brendan Lemieux already well established cogs on this Rangers roster, Vesey could well find himself as the odd man out in 2019-20.

So, if the Buffalo Sabres go ahead and execute a trade for Vesey then what should the Rangers expect in return?

You would think that there will be picks involved ahead of the Draft on Friday, but what else could the Blueshirts demand in a trade?

Looking at the Sabres’ roster makes for interesting reading. They have a glut of defensemen and, given the Rangers’ need for a legitimate top-four blueliner and stay-at-home defenseman, we’ve picked out two players the front office could look to package into a trade that would send Jimmy Vesey in the opposite direction…

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