2024 Jimmy Vesey report card

One of the more underappreciated Rangers, Jimmy Vesey has been one of the best bargains in the NHL. Signed to a PTO in 2022 as an afterthought, Vesey earned a contract for the 2022-2023 season. Just 4 months later, he signed a two year extension. Diving into our 2024 Jimmy Vesey report card, the Rangers have demonstrated a willingness to find cheap value on the fourth line, with Vesey as Exhibit A.

Vesey played all over the lineup in the 2022-2023 season, but found a more stable role in the bottom six in the 2023-2024 season. He played well over 600 minutes at 5v5 with Barclay Goodrow and with a rotating cavalry of wingers, ranging from Tyler Pitlick to Will Cuylle to Jonny Brodzinski. Interestingly enough, all this came as Vesey was the healthy scratch for the 2023 opener.

Vesey took that in stride, putting together a solid offensive year while playing stellar defensive hockey. His 13-13-26 line was his best point production since the 2018-2019 season. He did that despite getting the overwhelming majority of defensive zone starts, part of his role on the fourth line.

Given his role, offense is a nice to have with Vesey. We know he certainly has the skill to put the puck in the net, as evidence by his 13-13-26 line, but his role is to limit chances against, push play out of the defensive zone, and set the Rangers up for an offensive zone faceoff. He did that exceedingly well.

There’s not much else to say on Vesey’s regular season performance. He had a role, and he performed it quite well. We’d like to see a bit more offensive quality, but that’s really being nitpicky. Given the role to push play from a defensive zone start to an offensive zone finish, being above water on quantity is more important than quality. It’s his role, and he exceeded expectations.

In the postseason, Vesey’s numbers took a nosedive, as did almost every other Rangers skater’s numbers. That’s a product of the Carolina and Florida series where the Rangers played large portions of games in their own zone. Still, his line with Goodrow and one of Matt Rempe/Will Cuylle/Jonny Brodzinski actually outscored their opponents 3-2 at 5v5 while still getting those defensive zone starts.

It’s not always pretty but Vesey gets the job done. This is what you expect of a fourth liner. He quietly produces far beyond his role, showing a fourth line can be much more than a minutes eating line.

2024 Jimmy Vesey report card grade: A-