The success of the 2017-18 Rangers will partially depend on how young forwards Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey progress.
And the close friends spent the summer together, gearing up to take that crucial next step forward.
Hayes and Vesey grew up in Massachusetts and have known each other since childhood. During the offseason, they returned home to train with strength and conditioning coach Brian McDonough at Edge Performance Systems — a destination for several NHL players — and participate in the Foxboro Pro League.
“I think it’s good to have someone there beside you that’s going to push you,” Vesey said. “Having Kevin there to push me every step of the way was really good.”
Vesey is coming off a solid rookie campaign, posting a 16-11-27 stat line through 80 games on the left wing. While there were times when the Harvard product seemed to disappear, he finished the season on a high note, saving some of his best hockey for the playoffs.
For a first-year guy playing significant minutes, the bumps were to be expected. But more consistency is vital for a new look Rangers squad that no longer features playmaker Derek Stepan.
“I think I showed some flashes last year where I played good for a good stretch,” Vesey said. “I want to be doing that every night.”
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“For me, he’s a gamer. He’s a guy that wants to prove that he can contribute and help a team win,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “And he’s shown leadership qualities in the past and I expect him to be even better this year.”
Entering his fourth season, Hayes is someone the team will surely look to for leadership. It has been an up-and-down journey for the 25-year-old, but the Rangers made clear their confidence in him when they shipped Stepan to Arizona.
“I have a tremendous amount of faith in [Hayes],” Vigneault said. “If we made that trade, it’s because we had faith in him and Mika [Zibanejad] who are the next guys slotted in.”
Hayes, who will move from the No. 3 center spot to the No. 2, tied or set career-bests in goals (17) and assists (32) last season.
But Vesey and the Rangers are expecting better.
“I think he looks great out here so far,” Vesey said of Hayes, after the two practiced on the same line on Sunday. “I think it’s definitely his time to step up.”
They prepared together, now will the longtime companions rise together?
Recently acquired goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who will suit up for Monday’s preseason opener, was at a loss for words when pressed about why he chose the Rangers in free agency.
“Obviously it’s the Rangers,” he said with a smile. “Great organization … it’s hard to answer. It’s the Rangers, there’s a lot of history behind it.”
Before joining the Blueshirts on a one-year deal worth $1.3 million this summer, Pavelec had spent all of his 10 seasons with the Atlanta/Winnipeg organization.
As of now, it is unclear just how big a role Pavelec will be asked to play. As the 30-year-old explained, it will depend on how Henrik Lunqvist is feeling.
“Whatever it’s going to be — 10, 15, 20 [games],” he said. “ I’ll just try to be ready when I get the chance to play.”
On Monday, the Rangers will begin the preseason schedule at home against the Islanders.
“It’ll be fun,” captain Ryan McDonagh said. “You see a lot of kids at the preseason games, so looking forward to that.”
According to Rick Nash, the first game is a good opportunity to get your timing and wind back.
“You can’t really simulate the speed that we’re going to see [Monday],” Nash said. “So it’ll be a lot of adjustments.”
The Rangers will play six times in the next nine days.