Vesey Leaves Nashville Waiting

Former Harvard forward Jimmy Vesey will apparently not sign with the Nashville Predators after all.

Vesey, who was drafted by the Predators in the 3rd round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, completed his college career on Friday with the Crimson’s 4-1 loss to Boston College in an NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal.

Nashville fully expected Vesey to sign with them afterwards, but that didn’t happen.

The Predators, who had allegedly kept a spot open for Vesey for their Stanley Cup Playoff run, still hold his rights until Aug. 15, when he will become a free agent.

The son of former Merrimack standout Jim Vesey, now a scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jimmy Vesey finished his four-year Crimson career with 80 goals and 66 assists for 144 points in 128 outings, according to USCHO.com. He also recorded 19 power-play goals and 16 game-winners in four campaigns in Cambridge, Mass. He led all NCAA Division I skaters with 32 goals overall a year ago, when he was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist and also led Harvard to its first ECAC Tournament championship since 2006.

Vesey again won the Walter Brown Award this season as the top American-born college hockey player in New England, after tallying 24-22—46 points in 33 overall appearances as Harvard's captain. He also led the ECAC in scoring with 20-17—37 points in 25 league contests.