Former Rangers Forward Jimmy Vesey May Head to the KHL
Jimmy Vesey, who played in the NHL last season, is reportedly considering continuing his career overseas. According to Daria Tuboltseva of RG Sports, the 32-year-old forward is exploring offers from multiple KHL teams and is showing significant interest in joining the Russian league.
A source close to Vesey noted, “Jimmy has been asking a lot of questions about how things work in the KHL and is seriously considering offers from the top European league.” SKA St. Petersburg is believed to be the leading contender for his services.
Vesey split the 2024–25 NHL season between the New York Rangers and the Colorado Avalanche, playing a total of 43 games and recording five goals and three assists. He was traded to Colorado on March 1 in a deal that included Ryan Lindgren, in exchange for Juuso Parssinen, Calvin de Haan, and two draft picks.
After seeing limited playing time in New York, Vesey expressed dissatisfaction with his role. “It seems that I’ve fallen out of favor and have just been cast aside over an extended period of time,” he told The New York Post. “It feels like I have no role or purpose on this team. I’m kind of dying by being here.”
Vesey began his NHL career with the Rangers in 2016 after winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men’s hockey player. He scored at least 16 goals in each of his first three seasons and later played for the Sabres, Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Devils before returning to New York in 2022. Over the past two seasons, he totaled 24 goals and 51 points but saw his playing time reduced last year.
He ended the 2024–25 season as a healthy scratch for all seven of Colorado’s playoff games against Dallas. Throughout his NHL career, Vesey has played 626 regular-season games, scoring 101 goals and 194 points, along with nine points in 31 playoff appearances.
If he does make the move to the KHL, it would mark the next chapter in a professional career that’s spanned nearly a decade in the NHL.