Oft-scratched Vesey: 'Feels like I have no role or purpose' with Rangers
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It appears Jimmy Vesey is looking for a fresh start as he sits out as a healthy scratch for the New York Rangers.
Vesey who last played on Jan. 11, told Larry Brooks of the New York Post that "it feels like I have no role or purpose on this team."
The 31-year-old forward, who has three goals and one assist in 21 games this season, believes he still can be bring value to an NHL team, but it doesn't appear that will be with the Rangers.
“It seems that I have fallen out of favour and have just been cast aside over an extended period of time,” Vesey told Brooks. “I’m kind of dying by being here.”
"I don't know if this is the best place for me now," he added.
Vesey had 13 goals and 26 points in 80 games with the Rangers last season, adding one goal and three points in 12 playoff games. He is a pending unrestricted free agent, carrying a cap hit $800,000.
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette responded to Vesey's comments on Friday, stating the forward still has a role for the club.
“Jimmy’s an important piece to this team," Laviolette said. "He’s proven that. Right now we’ve gone with a lineup, and like all the players that aren’t in there, we just ask them to keep working hard. We’re more than confident in our team and their abilities to come in and make a difference.”
The Harvard University graduate is in his second stint with the Rangers, who he started his NHL career with in 2016. He has 99 goals and 190 points over 609 games with the Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils.
The Rangers have improved their standing with a 6-2-2 record over their past 10 games, but remain outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. New York is five points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot with one game in hand.
The team will visit the Boston Bruins on Saturday in what could be Vesey's ninth straight game as a healthy scratch.