Men's Hockey's Vesey Recognized as Finalist for Hobey Baker Award

After an NCAA-best 32 goals this season, Jimmy Vesey finally got his hat trick.

The junior scoring specialist for the Harvard men’s ice hockey team signed autographs, posed for photos, and held babies before the Hobey Baker Award ceremony at Matthews Arena on Friday.

The festivities recognized Vesey as a member of the 2015 “Hobey Hat Trick”—one of three finalists for college hockey’s highest individual honor—alongside North Dakota junior goaltender Zane McIntyre and the evening’s eventual winner, Boston University freshman forward Jack Eichel.

The event also announced Vesey as a first team All-American selection—the Crimson’s first since Alex Killorn ’12 and Danny Biega ’13 in 2012 and its 29th all-time.

Jimmy Vesey scored 32 goals for the Crimson in 2014-2015. By Michael D. Ledecky

The honors capped an eventful month for the Charlestown native, who still has yet to score three goals in a single collegiate game.

He swept the ECAC Player of the Year and Player of the Tournament awards and scored twice in the conference final on March 21 to lead Harvard to its first ECAC title since 2006. That week he topped Eichel for the 63rd annual Walter Brown Award, given to the top American-born college ice hockey player in New England.

The next Friday, Vesey was Harvard’s lone goal-scorer in a 4-1 loss to Nebraska-Omaha in the first round of the NCAA tournament, finishing his season with five more goals than the next highest-scoring Division I player. Days later, Vesey announced his intention to return to Harvard for his senior year after speculation that he would leave to sign with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

And just last Tuesday, USA Today reported that Vesey will play for Team USA at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Prague, Czech Republic, in the beginning of May.

On Friday, Vesey addressed the report, saying that he is waiting for approval from Harvard’s Administrative Board to take his exams in the Czech Republic. As a freshman, Vesey took his first semester exams in Ufa, Russia, where he helped Team USA to a gold medal in the World Junior Championships.

“It’s kind of still up in the air a bit,” Vesey said. “We need to hear back from [the Ad Board]...so I am hoping to get that confirmed. I think it will be a great experience.”

Boston University freshman forward Jack Eichel topped the nation in scoring with 71 points on the year. By Michael D. Ledecky

Nearly all of Vesey’s teammates sat in the arena stands during the event next to a strong contingent of Boston University fans, who cheered after the announcement of Eichel’s Hobey win.

Eichel, who paced the nation with 71 points this season, was the first freshman to accept the award since 1993. The Chelmsford, Mass., native led the Terriers to Saturday’s national final at TD Garden, where BU surrendered a late lead to fall to Providence, 4-3.

Among the first to congratulate Eichel on the award stage was Vesey, who would have been Harvard’s fourth Hobey Baker winner and first since Lane MacDonald ’88-89. Vesey is the Crimson’s first Hat Trick finalist—a designation started in 2013—and Harvard’s first top-10 finalist since 2005.

Eichel now faces a similar decision to the one Vesey faced two weeks ago. The freshman is expected to be a top-two pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft this June.

While many observers expect him to sign a professional contract this summer, Eichel sees value in the route that Vesey has chosen.

“Obviously, [Vesey] would have had an opportunity to go to Nashville and play right away, but he also has a chance to get a degree from Harvard,” Eichel said on Friday. “A lot of people have given me advice that I’m sure Jimmy got as well. There’s no rush to go anywhere. Enjoy yourself, and live in the moment.”

Vesey is enjoying himself but looking ahead. After Prague, he will set course for Tampa, Fla.—the site of the 2016 Frozen Four.

“I think we think as a team that we could have been at the Frozen Four this weekend, so we’re just going to try to come back bigger, stronger, and faster,” Vesey said. “We definitely hope to be in Tampa next spring.”