Jimmy Vesey Set to Become Free Agent on August 15th

Jimmy Vesey is Set to Become an Unrestricted Free Agent on Monday, August 15th, Reportedly Interested in “Approximately 6 Teams”

Harvard University graduate and Hobey Baker Award winner Jimmy Vesey is set to hit unrestricted free agency on Monday (August 15th). Vesey created a lot of buzz at the beginning of the offseason when it was announced that he would not be signing with Nashville, the team that selected him 66th overall (3rd round) back in 2012.

His negotiating rights were eventually traded to Buffalo prior to the NHL Draft. Even though the Sabres have failed to sign him, they should still be considered a contender. Jimmy Vesey said all along that he wants to see the entire free agency process through to properly weigh his options.

Jimmy Vesey’s agent Peter Fish (via Sportsnet),

“We’ve looked at depth charts with some teams and talked about them. . . . “There’s obviously a lot of thought that goes into it: The city, the coach, the GM, the salary structure, how a team treats their players in the second and third contracts down the road.”

This minor loophole in the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) offers players a rare luxury that perhaps shouldn’t exist. The vast majority of players have no control over where they end up.

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Did Steven Stamkos envision a NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning growing up? Would Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf ever have imagined growing the sport in California when they were still kids playing road hockey on the street?

These aren’t scenarios that players dream up in their heads, but it ends up working out extremely well and these guys tend to fall in love with these places.

So what kind of opportunity does Jimmy Vesey have?

He has the chance to make those childhood dreams come true. If the Massachusetts-native imagined being Patrice Bergeron for the Bruins in game seven of the Stanley Cup Final playing with friends on the street (strictly an example), Vesey not only has a chance to dawn the sweater, but an opportunity to play with guys he idolized growing up. 

Let’s be honest though, there are probably a handful of veterans that Jimmy Vesey would love to play with.

The eventual decision will likely come to down to numerous factors, many of which were outlined above by agent Peter Fish.

Another factor Jimmy needs to weigh is a balance between winning/personal success. Sign with too deep of a team, it could hurt his overall game and production; ink a deal with too weak of a team for a better opportunity to see a bigger role/more ice-time, he could be stuck in a losing organization.

3 Best Fits for Jimmy Vesey

1. Boston Bruins

It is widely reported that Vesey loves the city of Boston, and why not? It is his home state, he went to school there, there is a natural comfort in that setting.

The only downfall with the Bruins is stiffer competition (Matt Beleskey/eventually Jake DeBrusk) to secure a potential top-six spot, especially if Ryan Spooner is forced to play the left side in favor of David Backes up the middle.

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2. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks almost fall under the category of being too deep; this past offseason however created a few openings for the future.

Teuvo Teravainen and Andrew Shaw were traded, and it seems a vacancy alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa exists. If Vesey wants an opportunity to win and have individual success, this might be a tempting choice.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

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Difficult to deny the Toronto connection with his father serving as Amateur Scout for the Maple Leafs, and brother Nolan selected 158th overall (6th round) back in 2014. There is something to be said about having that support structure around during the early years in the NHL.

If you compare Toronto to hometown Boston, you might consider the Leafs as a safer bet for long-term team success as the Bruins current direction with GM Don Sweeney at the helm is somewhat unclear.

Much of Toronto’s high-end offensive talent exists up the middle or on the right side (i.e. Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Nikita Soshnikov, Mitch Marner, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, etc.). Immediately, Vesey would compete with a lot of veteran players on their way out at the end of 2016-17. Prospects eventually vying for spots include Andreas Johnson, Dmytro Timashov, Brendan Leipsic, among others.

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Other teams that should be considered on his six team list:

Buffalo Sabres
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers