North Reading's Jimmy Vesey Signs Contract Extension With NY Rangers

NEW YORK, NY — North Reading native Jimmy Vesey signed a two-year contract extension — through the 2024-25 season —with the New York Rangers on Wednesday, the team announced.

TSN reported that the deal is for $1.6 million and will carry an $800,000 cap hit.

Vesey, who prepped at Belmont Hill School and played collegiately at Harvard, is a 7-year NHL veteran who went to training camp with the Rangers on a professional tryout contract before signing a 1-year deal. He had been scheduled to become a free agent this summer.

External expectations were somewhat modest for Vesey entering his second go-around with the Rangers, the team he played for during his first three NHL seasons from 2016-2019.

But the 6-foot-3, 202-pound wing has been a valuable contributor, scoring six goals and recording six assists, and playing a key role on the Rangers' penalty kill.

Vesey ranks fourth in shorthanded time on ice with a 56:08 mark. Among Rangers forwards to skate over 50 minutes shorthanded, Vesey ranks second in fewest power-play goals against per-60 (5.34), according to NHL.com. Vesey also has a power play goal.

The New York Post reported that Vesey earned a fourth-line spot with the Rangers entering the season, the same role he played for the New Jersey Devils in 2021-22.

However, Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant regularly has used Vesey on the top three lines, according to the Post.

In a Saturday article headlined "Rangers need to lock up Jimmy Vesey for an extension," the New York Post noted that Vesey had skated with centers Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck 22 times, and that he recently has been lining up alongside center Filip Chytil and left wing Alexis Lafreniere.

"I didn't expect to play as much as I have and where I have," Vesey told the Post. "It's been nice to be up there. I think I've been solid and done the job on the penalty kill, so whatever they need, that's why I'm here. I want to contribute in any way I can."

At Harvard, Vesey won the 2016 Hobey Baker Award, presented to college hockey's top player. Since playing his first three seasons with the Rangers, Vesey has made stops in Buffalo, Toronto, Vancouver and New Jersey.

Vesey, whose father Jim is the all-time leading scorer at Merrimack College, appears to have found a more permanent home back on Broadway.

"I say it every year, there are some chances I'd like to have done more with and scored on, but overall I think I've played well," Vesey told the New York Post. "I'm pretty happy with the way it's gone."