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NEWARK, N.J. — Within the second episode of the Amazon Prime Authentic docuseries, “All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs,” followers are taken contained in the short-lived tenure of Jimmy Vesey in 2021.
“We introduced you right here with a superb alternative in wanting you to make a distinction,” coach Sheldon Keefe tells Vesey after pulling him apart for a one-on-one. “I wish to make sure that you recognize, it has been very vanilla.”
By the tip of the 46-minute episode, Vesey is heading west after being picked up on waivers by the Canucks.
“Yeah, it was robust. It was my first transfer mid-season. I had been traded earlier than however it was in the summertime so it was a bit demanding,” Vesey stated. “I suppose basically, final 12 months appeared fairly lengthy for me. I had gone to Toronto two months earlier than the season after which, clearly, midway via I ended up in Vancouver and we had a COVID shut down whereas I used to be there. The season acquired prolonged. So it is a robust 12 months, demanding at occasions … a bit chaotic however blissful to be right here.”
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Right here is New Jersey. Standing in entrance of reporters within the bowels of the Prudential Heart throughout media day, the 28-year-old is sporting a pink hoodie with “Devils Hockey” emblazoned on the entrance and his (new) No. 16 within the nook. However a future within the Backyard State just isn’t assured for the 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner. He is on a PTO.
“He has to reinvent himself. He needs to be actually good defensively. He needs to be a superb particular groups participant. He has to deliver physicality, which I believe he can. I’ve seen Jimmy play with loads of chew and that is an space that I believe can assist our membership,” famous Devils coach Lindy Ruff, who was an assistant on Alain Vigneault’s employees in New York throughout Vesey’s sophomore and junior NHL seasons.
“He is aware of he is determined to earn a job on this crew and has to earn a job; I will simply say that. There’s different younger guys which are gonna push him for that very same place and I believe inside he realizes this can be a probability he cannot mess up on.”
Basic supervisor Tom Fitzgerald stated that whereas Vesey was introduced in to push the remainder of the group and create competitors, there’s “a possibility right here to make the crew” — including he isn’t “Whistling ‘Dixie’ right here,” to point out he is critical.
Issues look promising thus far for Vesey, who within the preseason’s first intrasquad scrimmage put up three factors. It harkens again to a man who was a extremely sought-after prospect as soon as his 4 years at Harvard got here to an in depth. It is also harking back to a winger who posted 90 factors (50 objectives, 40 assists) in three seasons — 35 in 2018-19, the place he “thought I type of had it found out” — throughout the Hudson River with the Rangers.
Nonetheless, the final two years have been something however very best: 30 factors in 114 video games between the Sabres, Maple Leafs and, his final cease, the Canucks.
“I acquired picked up by them on waivers and thought this can be a nice alternative. I had 4 video games and I assumed I performed nicely after which the COVID shutdown type of deflated all people,” recalled Vesey. On March 31, the Canucks-Flames recreation was suspended inside an hour of puck drop, beginning an almost-month-long suspension of Vancouver’s season.
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It simply added one other robust layer to an already laborious 2021 for the Massachusetts native. He was in Canada two months earlier than the season began, and stayed via the tip of the prolonged marketing campaign — with out the opportunity of household or pals based mostly in america visiting.
“It made for an extended 12 months,” he stated. “I believe there was some anxiousness that got here with that as nicely, particularly down the stretch in Vancouver. The shutdown was fairly brutal to be trustworthy. I by no means truly acquired COVID in that point however nonetheless wasn’t allowed to go away aside from to get swabbed.
“It felt just like the partitions have been closing in on me at factors and we ended up having to play I believe 19 video games in 30 or 31 days so, it was loads to deal with. I am stronger having gone via that.”
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A stronger, targeted Vesey is definitely somebody who might assist a younger Devils squad aiming for his or her first postseason look since 2018, and simply their second since a Stanley Cup Last spot in 2012. If he does ink a brand new deal, he could be anticipated to play a bottom-six function on the wing whereas additionally seeing penalty-killing duties. In 30 video games with the Leafs, he ranked tenth in shorthanded complete ice time (25:31) and was second on the Canucks in power-play objectives in opposition to per 60 minutes (3.81) regardless of taking part in simply 20 video games and 31:31 of SH TOI.
Within the Devils preseason recreation Wednesday in opposition to the Capitals, Vesey skated on the wing with captain Nico Hischier at heart and 2019 draft decide Graeme Clarke on the fitting wing. He was on the ice for an even-strength and a power-play purpose in opposition to over the course of his 15:46 — 2:44 of that whereas the crew was shorthanded.
“That you must discover one thing that is going to be your factor,” Keefe advised Vesey, who was struggling to seek out his recreation, and possibly some confidence, with Toronto.
Properly, possibly this is the factor that’ll assist Vesey earn his subsequent NHL contract.
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