The Rangers ended the 2015-2016 season in disappointment as they were eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. For the most part, fans were worried about what the future looked like for New York, as the team hit a stalemate in it's development process. Last year, they had the highest average age of their players in the entire league, sitting at roughly 28 years old. Some fans wanted to strip the entire organization apart, while others wanted to gear up for another Stanley Cup run in the not-so-distant future.
 |
| GM Jeff Gorton had big decisions to make for the Rangers this off-season |
The Rangers did not commit to either direction, however, as they have managed to keep their core intact while adding young, controllable pieces through free agency and trades. The latest addition goes by the name of Jimmy Vesey, who was a highly sought-after free agent that should immediately provide head coach Alain Vigneault with another weapon to use.
For more on Vesey and the Rangers off-season transactions, keep reading.
 |
| Vesey had become a college sensation with Harvard |
Was Vesey pursued by any NHL teams before last season? The answer is yes, as he drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 3rd round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. At the time, GM David Poile had guaranteed Vesey a roster spot with Nashville, but the 19 year old was not interested in signing.
Four seasons later, in this past June, the Buffalo Sabres acquired the rights to Vesey from the Predators in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The deal gave the Sabres a few extra weeks of exclusive negotiating rights with Vesey before he was set to hit free agency.
Nevertheless, Vesey became an unrestricted free agent on August 16, and instantly became a prominent figure in the market. Analysts and fans alike believed that the 23 year old is ready to play on an NHL team's top two lines. Predictably, many teams were interested in bringing him in. The Blackhawks, Bruins, Devils, Islanders, Rangers, Penguins, and Maple Leafs had met with him before he ultimately made his decision.
Vesey signed a two year, $7.55 million deal with the New York Rangers on August 19, and is expected to join the team for the 2016-2017 campaign.
After the deal was announced, Rangers GM spoke with the media about Vesey. He said "He's got an ability to score and make plays. He's a very talented player. We're really excited to get a player like this."
Hockey runs through Jimmy's blood, as his father, Jim Vesey, was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 8th round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, and played 15 games in the league. He currently works for the Maple Leafs as a scout. Additionally, his brother, Nolan Vesey, was drafted by Toronto in the 6th round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
 |
| Zibanejad will have big shoes to fill |
As said earlier, Jimmy Vesey represents yet another acquisition of youth to the roster by Gorton. This process was originally started back in June when the team traded top defenseman Keith Yandle to the Florida Panthers for a 2017 4th round pick and a 2016 6th round pick. The 6th rounder ended up being Gabriel Fontaine, a 19 year old center. For more on Fontaine, click here.
Gorton continued by trading fan-favorite Derick Brassard to the Ottawa Senators for a 2018 7th round pick and Mika Zibanejad, a 23 year old center. Zibanejad played in 81 games for Ottawa last year, registering 21 goals and 30 assists. In 281 career games, all with the Senators, he has put up 64 goals and 87 assists, and helped the team reach the playoffs in 2012-2013 and 2014-2015. The former 1st round pick (6th Overall in 2011 NHL Entry Draft) is projected to play a large part in the Rangers future plans.
No comments:
Post a Comment