MONTREAL — This is the reason Jimmy Vesey chose the Rangers in his ballyhooed free-agent decision back in the summer. Coming out of Harvard, Vesey wanted to the chance to compete in the postseason, and he thought the Rangers were in a good place to do that.
His prescience was rewarded as the 23-year-old is set to start Game 1 of the first-round series against the Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night in a top-six role, on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Rick Nash.
“The Rangers are always a contender every year,” Vesey said after Tuesday’s practice in Westchester. “We had a good season this year, and when we’re playing our game, we can beat anybody. It’s my first crack at the playoffs, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Vesey’s rookie season was admittedly up and down, and he finished his first 80 NHL games with 16 goals and 27 points. Those would be good numbers for a regular rookie, but Vesey was the talk of the summer after he chose not to sign with the Predators, who drafted him in the third round (No. 66 overall) in 2012, or the Sabres, who obtained his rights from Nashville in a trade. Instead, on Aug. 19, Vesey signed with the Rangers and began his journey.
“I think it’s a little crazy how it all went down, but you have to tune that stuff out,” Vesey said. “I know what I am as a hockey player, and my rookie season, all things considered, had a pretty good year and I’m only going to get better from here. So it was a good first year, and I’m just focused on the playoffs now and helping the team.”
For comparison, coach Alain Vigneault went back to his first season behind the Rangers bench, 2013-14, when he had another rookie playing an important role as they made their way to the Stanley Cup final.
“A lot like Chris Kreider our first year,” Vigneault said. “There’s a rookie coming in the lineup, playing a big role, playing big minutes. Jimmy is getting this opportunity.”
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Vesey never played more than 32 games in a season while at Harvard, so how he would hold up in the grind of the NHL year was a concern. But he said he thought he “managed it well,” and even took some lessons from some of the more lean times.
“I played some stretches of really good hockey and had some lulls in the process, but I think I’m a better player because of that,” Vesey said. “I’m hoping to take that experience into the playoffs.”
Vigneault also took confidence in the fact that Vesey had played in some big games in the past, and even if they were nowhere near this magnitude, he has played well in pressure situations.
“He’s been in big moments, he’s handled them real well,” Vigneault said. “Our whole group is very confident he’s going to play real well for us as we move forward.”