Hint: It's not Artemi Panarin or Igor Shesterkin or even Adam Fox
Picking a favorite Ranger reminds me of the time a reporter asked Bobby Orr's mother, "What do you think of your son?"
She shot back: "Which one?"
The Maven has a favorite Ranger but I'll disclose who it is some other time. For now, I wanted a respected author-longtime fan to select a skater from this team.
Naturally, I figured that historian George Grimm would pick one of the glamor guys like The Breadman or Gimme-Another-Shootout-Shesterkin. Or, on the blue line, ex-Norris Trophy-winner Adam Fox.
Grimm, whose latest book is "Undermanned But Undaunted, The Frank Boucher New York Rangers," knocked me for a literary loop with his choice: Jimmy Vesey.
After I finished stammering, I tried to say something eloquent; which I did: "Why? Why? And Why?"
"I always admired the muckers and the grinders — the guys who may not have elite skills, for whom the game doesn't come that easily," said Grimm. "They have to work harder to first make the team and then keep their spot in the lineup."
Vesey won the Hobey Baker Award as best collegiate player in 2016 after starring at Harvard. Ironically, the team Vesey will face tomorrow night plucked him in the third round of the 2012 Entry Draft. But the Capitals couldn't see what we see now. Then again neither the Rangers — first time around — nor Buffalo, Toronto, Vancouver and the Devils gave Jimmy more than a couple of cups of Java.
Finally, the Blueshirts figured, "Why not?' and signed him as a Free Agent in 2022.
"Used primarily as a bottom six forward and penalty-killer, Vesey is the kind of player who's always on the cusp because there's always someone bigger, younger, stronger or faster looking to take his spot in the lineup," said Grimm. "But his consistency and reliability has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches. For example Peter Laviolette has often slotted him onto the top two lines when needed."
Unobtrusively and without little fuss or fanfare, Vesey played 80 games of the recent 82-game marathon, totaling 13 goals and 13 assists including four game-winners.
Grimm offers this Bottom Line: "Vesey is a hard-working hockey player who does his job every night and he's a survivor. That's why he's my favorite current Ranger!"
You gotta like that because Brother Grimm makes as good a point as someone who knows Jimmy better than you or The Maven — Goodrow!