The reaction when the Rangers signed Jimmy Vesey to a PTO to start the 2022-2023 season was rather humorous. Instead of wondering where he could fit, many were worried about which kid he would replace in the lineup. Vesey was a pleasant surprise for the Rangers, not replacing anyone in the lineup, en route to a Masterton nomination, a two year contract extension at under $1 million, and 11 goals and 25 points. I think it’s fair to say this worked out well.
What is interesting isn’t just the 11-14-25 scoring line last season, the first time since 2019-2020 that Vesey eclipsed both 10 goals and 20 points in a season, but it’s how he did it.