Sabres Acquire Rights to Jimmy Vesey, Extend Deslauriers

The Buffalo Sabres have acquired the rights to forward Jimmy Vesey from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a selection in the third round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

The Sabres will have exclusive rights to try and negoiate a contract with the former Predator draft pick. If the two sides can’t reach an agreement by August 15 then Vesey will become an unstricted free agent and can sign with any NHL team.

Vesey just finished up his final season at Harvard where he had 46 points in 33 games played. He also won the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player. If he decides to test the waters during free agency then he will be a highly covented prospect because of his skill set. He is 6’2″, 201 pounds so he has some size and he can put the puck in the net. In 128 career games with Harvard, he had 80 goals, 64 assists, 144 points and 66 penalty minutes.

Buffalo also signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year contract extension. Deslauriers was due to become a restricted free agent on July 1. The two-year contract is worth a total of $1.55 million and has a cap hit of $775,000 per season.

In 70 games last season, Deslauriers had six goals, six assists, 12 points, was a -14, and average 10:20 of ice time per game. The six goals were a career high. He added a game-winning goal, 30 blocks, and 72 shots on goal. In 169 games with the Sabres, hw has 12 goals, 16 assists, 28 points, 518 hits and has averaged 11:22 of ice time per game.

Deslauriers is a typical fourth line energy guy that plays a physical game. He isn’t afraid to throw his weight around so the opposing team needs to be aware of when he is on the ice. He can shoot the puck and puts the team first. He is a physical and versitale winger, who can change the game with a hit.