Jimmy Vesey Providing Leadership Goals For New Jersey Devils

October 13, 2016. That was the day Jimmy Vesey made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers. A lot can change in five years, and while sometimes it can feel like a long time ago, things can change quickly. Vesey is now on his fifth team and has played in all 28 games for the New Jersey Devils this season. He wasn’t brought in as a highly-touted prospect like the kid from five years ago, he had to sign a PTO to join training camp and earned himself a one-year contract as a bottom-six forward and penalty kill specialist.

“It’s a great group, I love coming to the rink with these guys. It’s a bit of a weird experience for me being one of the older guys,” said Vesey at the ripe old age of 28, “but these guys have great energy and all of them are great guys. In terms of play, I was brought in here to help on the penalty kill. I think 90% of the year I’ve been good; there have been some bad games but I’ve liked my effort and my play in most of the games.”

Vesey Pass

Thus far, Vesey has put up seven points (5g-2a) while taking only two penalties and scoring two shorthanded goals. He’s given the Devils a reliable, hard-working player that the coaching staff can move up the lineup because of his hockey IQ and his simple plays.

Now obviously New Jersey is in a bit of a tailspin lately (to say the least) so some of the silver linings during a season don’t shine so bright, but Vesey has been a solid pick up by management and could be earning himself a future, similar role in the organization as the majority of the roster – which is still so young – continues to mature and grow.

The guys know they need to be better, and for a good portion of the season, they were, and know they can reach that again. But hockey is a fast game, where one or two decisions – good or bad – can decide the outcomes; especially in the NHL when you play against the best of the best every night.

Vesey the Vet

“Lately we’ve been losing too much and it has a bit of a trickle-down effect on everybody,” said a dejected Vesey following a recent loss. “I thought as the game went on we got better and better. It’s funny the way the game works, we’ve lost more than we would’ve liked lately, but there are stretches in games that we are playing well – we have to capitalize (on our chances) more or bear down more defensively. At the end of the day, it’s not good enough.”

“Any team in our situation reacts the same way, we’re frustrated and hockey is an emotional game.”

“Their first two goals (against Vegas) – the one on the penalty kill goes in off of me and the second goal was flukey from where I was sitting; looked like the puck was going wide and it goes off a shin pad and in,” Vesey said.

“I had a bit of a flukey goal myself tonight. We were playing well, it just seems like those goals are going in on us lately. We just have to find a way to put it all together. The youth of our team, some mistakes are to be expected – but we have to find a way to not make the glaring ones.”

Vesey has kind of been in this situation before in New York. Was on a playoff team as a rookie, and then the next two seasons the roster got younger and the team didn’t qualify for the postseason. But this time, again at the ripe old age of 28, he’s one of the veterans among his teammates. He’s embracing the role and probably has been better than anyone had expected in New Jersey.

“This is my 6th year, I’ve said this before but a lot of people my first few years would ask me about the physical demands of the league. I think the bigger challenge is the mental obstacles that you might face over an 82-game season. There are a lot of ups and there are a lot of downs,” he explained.

“I think looking back on my career, and coming into this year I wanted to have a more positive mindset and try to have that rub off on the younger guys. There were times in my first few years where I’d be in a tough stretch and you can’t feel bad for yourself at all; because one day you wake up and you pissed two weeks away. We have to come to the rink with a good work ethic and straighten this thing out.”

“When I came into the league in New York we had an older team with only a couple of rookies. Guys like Rick Nash, Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh – those guys brought it every day. That’s something I’m trying to draw on this year.”

Passing Knowledge 

Remember what we talked about at the top about how things change a lot? Five years ago the only current Devils that played a game in New Jersey were Damon Severson, Pavel Zacha (rookie season), and Miles Wood (rookie season).

Jack Hughes was 14-years-old torching some kids for the Toronto Marlboros. P.K. Subban was in the first of three seasons in Nashville and Dougie Hamilton was in year two of three with Calgary.

Hopefully, the young core is listening to Vesey tell tales around the campfire (or maybe just on the team bus or plane) about what it takes to come out on the other side of one of these tailspins that the Devils find themselves in, again. Just don’t lump them in with any other group, because most of these players weren’t here.

Vesey could be a valuable piece of the puzzle with the young group over the next few seasons. If he keeps providing over the rest of the season what he has to this point, he will have earned another season in New Jersey for sure.