Rangers Should Move Jimmy Vesey to the First Line

Vesey has been a revelation for the Rangers since he was re-acquired last season, playing valuable minutes up and down the lineup. New York is Vesey’s home, and his comfort level playing on the biggest stage grows with every clutch moment he has in a Blueshirts sweater.

He has played for the Rangers for four full seasons, the 2023-24 season being his fifth as a Blueshirt. During his first stint with the Rangers 2016-19, Vesey scored double-digits in goals in each season, tallying 16, 17, and 17, respectively. After leaving the Rangers, Vesey failed to reach the double-digit mark again until the 2022-23 season when he potted 11 goals.

There is something about the Rangers and Vesey that mesh, and the numbers exemplify that. The former Hobey Baker Award winner has been effective in all three zones for Peter Laviolette’s club this season. He has drastically improved defensively since his NHL debut in 2016-17, and his game perfectly fits the role he has been installed in with the Rangers.

But as we near the return of Filip Chytil, it may be time for Vesey’s role to change and for him to reunite with his old pals Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider on the first line.

Line Maneuvering When Chytil Returns Opens Door for Vesey

Let’s clarify something first: Chytil has no set date yet for his return. He is currently skating away from the team but is eligible to return from the Long Term Injured Reserve once he is healthy enough to do so. There is an obvious concern for the 24-year-old due to the nature of his injury, but there is optimism that he will return.

When he does, Laviolette will have some decisions to make about how he reconstructs the roster to accommodate all his players. The second line, which Chytil formerly centered, has been humming since Vincent Trocheck entered the middle between Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin. The odds are high that the line will remain the same upon Chytil’s return.

Chytil will likely center the third line, bumping Nick Bonino down to line four. Laviolette would be wise to put Blake Wheeler and Will Cuylle on Chytil’s wings, with the former two players having played together earlier this season. That would open up a top-line right-wing spot for Vesey to jump into, at least until a trade/call-up is made or the injured Kaapo Kakko returns.

Vesey has shown flexibility and his game has come a long way since he watched opening night from the press box. Neither Kakko nor Wheeler have given the Rangers consistency on the top line, which continues to struggle at five-on-five production. It would be worth a shot to provide an opportunity for Vesey, who has the highest Individual Point Percentage (IPP) on the Rangers at five-on-five with 87.50. IPP is the percentage of goals for an individual’s team while he is on the ice to which he contributes a point, per Natural Stat Trick.

Vesey’s total is astronomical, and his seven five-on-five points rank fifth on the roster. The Boston native seems like the perfect fuse for a line that needs a spark at five-on-five.

Vesey Has Experience With Zibanejad and Kreider

Let’s take a trip down memory lane for a moment. Do you remember all those comments saying first-line right-wing Vesey was holding back the kids? And how the Rangers need to make a change to get the most out of them? Well, now Lafreniere is thriving in his role, and Kakko is injured, leaving the door open once again for Vesey.

Except this time, I don’t think people will be complaining as much about it.

Vesey played 148:52 alongside Zibanejad and Kreider last season. They produced a 61.69 Corsi-For percentage (CF%) and a 61.38 expected goals percentage (xGF%) at five-on-five. The Rangers’ top line with Wheeler on the right wing has a 48.19 CF% and a 46.30 xGF%, far below what they produced with Vesey just a year ago.

Even when Kakko was on the right, the line still failed to match the numbers they accumulated with Vesey, registering just a 52.79 CF% and a 58.29 xGF%. The allure of having a first line that could complement the five-on-five dominance displayed by the second line is too enticing to pass up.

All Laviolette has to do is reward Vesey with the much-deserved opportunity. It’s hard to complain about anything when the Rangers have gotten off to a 16-4-1 start and sit one point behind the league-leading Vegas Golden Knights with three games in hand. But if you’re not looking to improve, then you are not trying, and right now, Vesey gives the Blueshirts’ first line the best option at the right wing.