Jimmy Vesey
Jimmy Vesey | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Michael Vesey May 26, 1993 United States |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey player |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Known for | Playing in the NHL; Hobey Baker Award winner (2016) |
James Michael Vesey (born May 26, 1993) is a professional ice hockey left wing from the United States, currently playing for Genève-Servette HC in the National League (NL). Selected 66th overall by the Nashville Predators during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Vesey developed his skills at Harvard University, where he earned the distinguished Hobey Baker Award in 2016. After choosing not to sign with Nashville, he entered the NHL as a free agent with the New York Rangers in 2016, spending three seasons there before joining the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils. He rejoined the Rangers in 2022 and was later traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 2025.
College
Vesey spent four collegiate seasons competing for Harvard University’s hockey team, amassing a total of 144 points—comprising 80 goals and 64 assists—across 128 games. His outstanding play earned him the ECAC Player of the Year award after the 2014–15 campaign.
During his junior year, Vesey was recognized as one of the top ten candidates for the Hobey Baker Award. Although he was named a finalist in April 2015, he did not secure the honor that year. Returning as a finalist in 2016, he ultimately captured the Hobey Baker Award on April 8, underscoring his collegiate achievements and enhancing his profile as an elite prospect.
Professional
Vesey was chosen by the Nashville Predators in the third round, 66th overall, in the 2012 NHL entry draft. Nashville’s general manager, David Poile, promised Vesey a spot on the roster toward the conclusion of the 2015–16 season and playoffs; however, Vesey declined to sign with them. Exercising his rights under the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement for college draftees four years after being drafted, he opted to select his own team.
This decision represented a challenge for Nashville but complied with NHL regulations allowing unsigned college players to become unrestricted free agents after four years. In late March 2016, rumors suggested Vesey would join his hometown team, the Boston Bruins, but these reports were later proven false.
On June 20, 2016, the Buffalo Sabres obtained Vesey’s negotiation rights from Nashville in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft, aiming to secure exclusive signing privileges before he became a free agent. Despite negotiations, no contract materialized, and Vesey officially entered unrestricted free agency on August 16.
Within two days of becoming a free agent, Vesey held meetings with seven NHL franchises: the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Requests from five additional teams to meet with him were declined.
New York Rangers (2016–2019)
Vesey inked a deal with the New York Rangers on August 20, 2016. Following training camp, he was honored with the Lars-Erik Sjöberg Award as the top rookie within the Rangers organization. He netted his inaugural NHL goal on October 17, 2016, contributing to a 7–4 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
On November 8, 2017, Vesey scored two goals within a span of just 29 seconds against the Boston Bruins, marking the quickest pair by a Rangers player since Jaromír Jágr accomplished this feat in 2006. The Rangers emerged victorious in that contest with a final score of 4–2. Later, on March 12, 2018, Vesey achieved his first NHL hat trick during a commanding 6–3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Buffalo Sabres (2019–2020)
On July 1, 2019, the Sabres reacquired Vesey from the Rangers in return for a third-round draft pick, creating a rare scenario where a player was traded twice for identical compensation. Throughout the 2019–20 season, Vesey faced challenges in fulfilling offensive expectations, registering career lows with 9 goals and 20 points across 64 games before the season was prematurely ended by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks (2020–2021)
Following his free agency departure from the Sabres, Vesey inked a one-year deal worth $900,000 with the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 11, 2020. During the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 NHL season, he began on the second line alongside John Tavares and William Nylander but later transitioned to a bottom-six forward position, finishing with 5 goals and 7 points in 30 appearances.
On March 17, 2021, Vesey was claimed off waivers by the Vancouver Canucks, marking his fourth NHL team within three seasons. He participated in 20 regular-season contests for Vancouver, tallying 3 assists as the team failed to qualify for the playoffs.
New Jersey Devils (2021–2022)
After becoming a free agent post-Canucks tenure, Vesey signed a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the New Jersey Devils on September 14, 2021. Subsequently, on October 10, he secured a one-year contract valued at $800,000 with New Jersey—his fifth NHL franchise over four seasons. He appeared in 68 games throughout the season, contributing eight goals.
Return to the Rangers (2022–2025)
Having remained unsigned during free agency, Vesey accepted a tryout contract with the Rangers on September 2, 2022, aimed at fulfilling a defensive forward role on their fourth line. He officially signed a one-year contract with New York on October 9. On January 4, 2023, Vesey extended his agreement by two additional years, locking him in through the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.
Colorado Avalanche (2025)
On March 1, 2025, the Rangers traded Vesey along with Hank Kempf and Ryan Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Calvin de Haan, Juuso Pärssinen, and two conditional selections in the 2025 draft. Serving as a depth forward, Vesey appeared in 10 regular-season games for Colorado, recording one goal and two points. He was a healthy scratch during Colorado’s first-round playoff defeat to the Dallas Stars before entering free agency.
Genève-Servette HC (2025–present)
After remaining unsigned by NHL teams over the summer months, Vesey committed to a two-year contract with Swiss club Genève-Servette HC of the National League on August 4, 2025. This agreement represents his first professional engagement outside North America.
International play
Vesey captured gold with the U.S. junior squad at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship and earned bronze representing the senior team at the 2015 IIHF World Championship.
Personal life
His father, Jim Vesey, selected by the St. Louis Blues in the 1984 draft, played fifteen NHL games and currently serves as a scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Jimmy’s younger brother Nolan was drafted by Toronto in 2014 before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2018 and subsequently signing an entry-level contract.
Vesey’s early hockey years were spent alongside longtime friend Matt Grzelcyk, whom he met at age six while playing under his father’s coaching. Both attended Belmont Hill School in Massachusetts and competed together on their hockey team there.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Belmont Hill School | HS-Prep | 30 | 13 | 17 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–11 | Belmont Hill School | HS-Prep | 32 | 23 | 12 | 35 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | South Shore Kings | EJHL | 45 | 48 | 43 | 91 | 52 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | Harvard University | ECAC | 27 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–14 | Harvard University | ECAC | 31 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–15 | Harvard University | ECAC | 37 | 32 | 26 | 58 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–16 | Harvard University | ECAC | 33 | 24 | 22 | 46 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–17 | New York Rangers | NHL | 80 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 26 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–18 | New York Rangers | NHL | 79 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–19 | New York Rangers | NHL | 81 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–20 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 64 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–21 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 30 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2020–21" | "Vancouver Canucks" | "NHL" | "20" | "0" | "3" | "3" | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2021–22 NHL season" | "New Jersey Devils" | "NHL" | "68" | 8 | 7 | 15 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2022–23 NHL season" | "New York Rangers" | "NHL" | "81" | 11 | 14 | 25 | 20 | "7" | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2023–24 NHL season" | "New York Rangers" | "NHL" | "80" | 13 | 13 | 26 | 20 | "12" | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2024–25 NHL season" | "New York Rangers" | "NHL" | "33" | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2024–25" | "Colorado Avalanche" | "NHL" | "10" | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NHL totals !626 | 101 | 93 | 194 | 144 !31 | 2 | 7 | 9 | }
International
Awards and honors
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