One of the beauty parts of major league hockey is that patience and dues-paying eventually reap rewards.
When it comes to the New York Rangers ascent to the National Hockey League stratosphere, Exhibit A has to be Jimmy Vesey.
The season-ending injury to Blake Wheeler could have set off an oogah-oogah S.O.S. throughout the high command but, really, with the depth on this sextet, it was more like a yawn followed by next-man-up.
Vesey is one of the reasons why.
Listed as the club's fourth-rated left wing at the season's start, Vesey has spent the last four months-plus playing the best hockey of his NHL career. What's more, the one time Hobey Baker (best collegian) Award-winner could inspire a daring decision.
But this morning Vesey missed practice, and the rangers announced it was due to a lower body injury.
If the injury is of the "maintenance" variety, how about Easy-Vesey playing on the club's first line alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider? Any objections to that from the cheap -- or not-so-cheap -- seats?
The Maven says it's worth a try for the pure and simple reason that Vesey has earned that right by being such a valuable grunt without grousing about it.
C'mon, you don't win the Hobey just because you have a Boston accent. Easy Vesey is versatile enough not to be a negative with The Z Man and King K.
And while I'm at it, I have to wonder if Kaapo Kakko's recent solid play has raised a few staff eyebrows along with mine?
Following the impressive -- thank you Comrade Shesterkin -- win Tuesday night overDallas, coach Peter Laviolette delivered what had to be regarded as a throw-away line.
"I may have to play Kaapo more."
It may have sounded like a grudging comment but Double K's recent substantive play must be rewarded with big-time shifts.
Hey, this Flying Finn just might be on the same threshold that Big Al Lafreniere was a couple of months ago. It's spelled S-T-A-R-D-O-M.
Redefined in Maven language as "Give The Kid A Break!"