Predators’ Laviolette hopeful NCAA standout Vesey joins team

Fingers remain crossed as the Nashville Predators await a decision by NCAA standout Jimmy Vesey.

The 22-year-old's college career came to an end Friday as Harvard dropped their opening game of the NCAA championship 4-1 to Boston College, and now Predators' head coach Peter Laviolette is hoping Vesey will join the team that drafted him for their playoff push.

"There's been a lot of conversations," Laviolette said, according to NHL.com's Robby Stanley. "Right now we deal with this on a daily basis. We're hopeful that Jimmy comes to us.

"We'll be excited to have him. He's a really good prospect. Now that his season is over, he's going to have to make those decisions."

Vesey was drafted by the Predators in the third round in 2012, but decided to return for his senior year of college instead of signing a NHL contract.

With college hockey now out of the way, Vesey will have to decide whether he wants to join the Predators or hold out until August, when he will become a free agent.

In February general manager David Poile suggested that the team would have a spot for Vesey if he decided to join the team.

Vesey finished his senior year with 24 goals and 46 points in 33 games a year after being named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

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