The New York Rangers signed forward Jimmy Vesey to a two-year extension through the 2024-25 season, the team announced Wednesday. According to sources, the annual average value of the contract is $800,000, which the Rangers feel gives them flexibility to shape their roster among uncertainty over next year’s salary cap.
Vesey, 29, is in his second stint with the Rangers. He is on a one-year deal, which he signed after coming to training camp on a professional tryout. Vesey has six goals and six assists in 38 games. The organization has praised Vesey’s team-first attitude and versatility, as he has moved up and down the lineup and has proved to be an important penalty killer for New York.
Vesey was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third round (66th overall) in 2012. But Vesey opted not to sign with the Predators during his college career at Harvard. After winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey in 2016, Vesey became a coveted NHL free agent. The Rangers won the sweepstakes, signing Vesey in 2016.
Since then, he has played in 460 NHL games for New York (2016-19, as well as this season), Buffalo (2019-20), Toronto (2020-21), Vancouver (2020-21) and New Jersey (2021-22), scoring 78 goals and 69 assists for 147 points. Once known as a pure goal scorer, Vesey has adapted his game in recent years to become more defensively responsible.