Before Jimmy Vesey turned a professional tryout contract into an extension with the Rangers this season, the 29-year-old winger did the same with the Devils a year ago.
It was his play during his time in New Jersey that caught the eye of the Rangers’ front office, which now has a different management team that convinced a 23-year-old Vesey to sign with New York instead of six players. Other clubs that wanted him.
Vesey had eight goals and seven assists in 58 games for New Jersey last season, serving as a top penalty killer while averaging 2:01 of shorthanded ice time, the fifth-most on the team. was tied with McLeod.
“I guess it’s a little weird,” Vasse said of facing his former team in the first round after practice on Saturday. “It’s almost the same team, so I got to know most of their guys last year. I enjoyed my time there last year and thought it was a good season for me to get my game back where it needed to be.
“As much as I like all those guys, I’m sure that’s what they’re probably saying: It’s the playoffs. It’s serious and definitely not friends there.
If anyone knows what demons are capable of, it’s Vesey.
He noted how the Devils like to circulate and when they get the puck in the offensive zone, also describing the likes of Jack Hughes and Jasper Brett as elite skaters.
He added that the Devils want to get the puck in the middle of the neutral zone with their speed.
“I know it feels like they came out of nowhere this year, but if you looked at last year, we were a playoff team by Thanksgiving,” Vesey said. “Obviously, we got out of position. [Dougie] Hamilton got injured and missed significant time, and we scored, I think, nine goals last year. But only people like it [Nico] Hischier, Hughes, Brett, you could see them kind of take off last year, and they put it together this year. They have good goaltending. It should be a fun one. “
Broadcast Schedule for Rangers-Devils Series:
Games 1 and 2 in New Jersey will begin at 7pm and 7:30pm, respectively, and will be broadcast on MSG and TBS. ABC will air Game 3 at the Garden at 8 p.m., while MSG and ESPN will pick up Game 4 in New York at 7 p.m., with times and channels for Games 5, 6 and 7 to be determined if needed.
