« Hockey 2015-16

Jimmy Vesey

School
Harvard
Position
Forward
Major
Government

Classroom

Jimmy Vesey showed the value he places on his Harvard education when he made the decision last spring to turn down a lucrative rookie contract and a chance to go with the Nashville Predators in the NHL playoffs to return to school for his senior year. Not only does he value the education, but he also excels in the classroom, earning a spot on the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team each of his three years in Cambridge.

Character

A “let his action speak for him” type of leader, Vesey was voted a captain for this season by his teammates. He is among the hardest workers on the team, working with a large group of his teammates each of the last two summers on their strength and conditioning. He shows up to practice and sets an example of what he expects from his teammates each day, giving his utmost effort to get better, despite being one of the best players in college hockey. With that in mind, he consistently credits his linemates and teammates with his individual success in the interviews he does with the media. As the star of the team, he is usually a media-favorite, and it says a lot that he would rather praise his teammates than talk about his accomplishments. In the community, he also participates in a number of the hockey team’s volunteer efforts mentioned below.

Community

Vesey has been a contributing member to Harvard community service efforts. He was a member of the Crimson’s team that participated at the 2015 Boston WIFFLE Ball Challenge, which raises money for the Travis Roy Foundation and the Franciscan Hospital for Children. He also went this fall with his teammates to the Cristo Rey Boston High School where the team provided manual labor in the form of cleaning the school, rearranging furniture, painting, raking the grounds and general maintenance. Vesey participated in the Making Strides Count program and a “Skate Day” with children from the One Summit Program. Both community service initiatives were derived around teaching youth to skate, while also giving them a chance to interact with the Harvard hockey team.

Competition

Vesey showed last season that he was willing to work to become one of the top college hockey players in the nation. After a strong offseason of training in the summer of 2014, Vesey was a presence throughout the entire season, scoring 32 goals, the most in NCAA Division I last season. He finished the year with 58 points and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, honoring the nation’s best player. He won the Walter Brown Award, was named the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year and the ECAC Hockey Tournament MVP. He was a CCM first-team All-American last season and enters this year as a College Hockey News preseason All-America First Team member. Vesey reached the 20 goal - 20 assist plateau for the second straight season. This year, the co-captain has 21 goals and 20 assists, while last year he finished with 32 goals and 26 helpers. For the second year in a row, Vesey is a semi-finalist for the Walter Brown Award. In addition to his numerous collegiate accolades, Vesey has also shined on the international stage. In 2013 he was a U.S. Junior National Team member and gold medalist at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships in Russia. Last spring, he traveled to the Czech Republic as a member of the U.S. IIHF World Championship Team and won bronze.