@boosbuzzsabres
In this series we build the 2019-20 Buffalo Sabres roster one by one leading up to the season opener on October 3.
LW--Jimmy Vesey
26 yrs. old
6'3" 199 lbs.
2012, third round (66th, NSH)
Career stats: 240 games | 50 goals | 40 assists | 90 points | -37
The Buffalo Sabres ultimately traded two third round picks for Jimmy Vesey. The first time they did it was on June 20, 2016 when then general manger Tim Murray sent a third rounder to the Nashville Predators for exclusive negotiating rights. However, the Harvard graduate and 2016 Hobey Baker winner was steadfast in his wish to test the free agent market and the Preds gladly took a third-rounder for him.
Murray, who was loaded with picks and prospects at the time, thought it a calculated gamble to trade the pick for Vesey and felt that the Sabres could convince him to sign in Buffalo. It didn't work out that way as Vesey signed a two-year deal with the NY Rangers in August after he became a free agent. The forward would go on to sign another two-year deal with the Rangers in July 2018 and on July 1, 2019 they traded their pending unrestricted free agent to the Sabres for a 2020 third round pick.
So Jimmy Vesey cost the Sabres two third round picks and what will they be getting from him as a player?
A big, versatile forward who isn't afraid of the dirty areas and knows where to score goals. "In his three years with the Rangers, Vesey established himself as a middle-six winger with a knack for scoring goals and drawing penalties, especially at even strength," wrote Mike Murphy of Blueshirt Banter.
Which was the type of player Buffalo GM Jason Botterill wanted.
"We view him as a top-nine forward," said Botterill of Vesey to the media after the trade. "I think the thing that really stands out for us is his ability to score at even strength. Here's just another player that comes into our organization and can help us with even-strength scoring." Vesey finished his three years in New York scoring 50 goals (16, 17 and 17 goals, respectively, in each of those three seasons) and of those 50 goals, 43 came at even strength.
"Part of my game and part of my style is a bit of a blue-collar element," he said last month while talking about his 5v5 play, but he also pointed to another, possibly overlooked, aspect to his game.
"Last year, something people might not know and something that I'm proud about, is that I was able to work on the penalty kill aspect of the game," he said. "I saw regular minutes on the PK and I think that was just part of my maturity."
Just how he's matured as a player remains to be seen but he has an opportunity to grab regular second-line duties this season for the Sabres. Buffalo's lack of depth was horrendous last season and even though they've added winger Marcus Johansson and are looking for winger Victor Olofsson to possibly take the next step in his development, Vesey right now looks to be the best option for the second line along side young center Casey Mittelstadt. Sure, he may top out as a top-nine right now (and at 26 yrs. old his upside is becoming very limited,) but if Vesey could at least hang in a second line role, and contribute those 17 or so goals, Buffalo's top six is looking all the more better.
Ideally Vesey would be a strong third-liner on a playoff team but in Buffalo he may need to play a notch above his pay-grade, at least for a while. And No. 2 left wing looks like a good spot for him...for now.
Building the 2019-20 Buffalo Sabres roster:
LW, Jeff Skinner /
C, Jack Eichel/
RW, Sam Reinhart
LW, Jimmy Vesey /
C, Casey Mittelstadt / _________
LHD, Rasmus Dahlin /
RHD, Brandon Montour
G, Carter Hutton
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