Jimmy Vesey
The Devils took a chance on Jimmy Vesey in the offseason, and he’s been really good for them. He has 10 points, including six goals, in 34 games while also playing a crucial role on the penalty kill. The Devils asked him to change his hockey philosophy when he came into training camp on a PTO, and he’s done a phenomenal job playing his role. He’s on a line right now with Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian, and they are the only line that can bring the physicality that some games call for.
Teams are willing to trade for players like Vesey. The playoffs are a game of inches. Every goal and every play matters, and Vesey has become a player who can stop others from scoring. He’s only been on the ice for 18 goals against, which is tops on the team for anyone who’s played at least 300 minutes. He hasn’t been on the ice for a lot of goals, but that’s not his role in this league anymore.
Vesey is a shutdown guy at the forward position. Is that where we thought he would be at this point in his career? No, but we have to give him credit for rolling with the punches. He’s a defensive guy now, and he’s really good at that role. Teams are always looking for depth at the bottom of the roster.
Vesey will have some value on the trade market but not a ton. If the Devils get a middle-round pick for him, we should all be happy. That’s still some pretty good value for a guy you got for free in the offseason.