The Nashville Predators have their sights set on the NHL playoffs. With 91 points through the season's first 76 games, but still looking up at the Stars, Blues and Blackhawks, the Preds are all-but locked into one of the Western Conference's two wildcard spots (even though they failed to clinch that berth on Monday, losing to the Central Division-rival Colorado Avalanche). That being said, GM David Poile's team remains flawed - especially offensively - which is why one of the spots on the Predators roster was set aside for Harvard forward and top Nashville prospect, Jimmy Vesey.
Vesey though, wants no part of the 2016 NHL playoffs. He also wants no part of the Predators.
It was announced late Monday that Vesey would forego his chance to join Nashville in the postseason, likely on one of the top two lines, while simultaneously burning a year off his rookie contract, in order to ensure that he'll choose his professional destination.
Poile, who invested a third-round pick and four seasons of development into Vesey, and was, at the end, denied a meeting with the lithe winger, his reps and his parents, was understandably upset.
"It's a bizarre situation," Poile said. "We could never and have never been allowed to bring the three parties together. Scott Nichol in the last three days has talked to Jimmy Vesey once. I've talked to his dad once. I've talked to his agents a couple times but never together. They won't allow us to talk to them together."
Vesey, 22, saw his collegiate career at Harvard come to a close on Friday. At that point, it was expected that Vesey, like most NHL prospects, would sign with the team that drafted him and begin preparations for his move to the Music City and insertion into the Predators postseason lineup.
Instead, Vesey spurned the meeting and the Predators and will become an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15.
"This is the first time I'm going to say this in my career as a general manager - I clearly believe that Jimmy has received bad advice and bad counsel," Poile said. "A player usually goes to free agency in order to increase his leverage and to benefit financially, and that will not be the case here."
Poile admitted to reporters that part of the reason he chose not to make further trade deadline moves was the expectation that Vesey would be joining the team in time for the playoff push, saying that even a few weeks ago, "every indication was" that Vesey would sign in Nashville.
But with Vesey biting the bullet in order to obtain his financial and professional freedom, the suitors will begin to line up around the block. The Boston Bruins, of course, will be interested. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who hired Vesey's father as an amateur scout and then drafted Vesey's brother, are likely to be tops in the running.
And any number of other teams will likely show interest as well.
Really, Poile can hem and haw all he wants, but what Vesey did was best for him, even if it wasn't best for the Predators.
