JESSIMAN IN THE FRAY

The pressure has been on Hugh Jessiman virtually from the minute that he was selected as the 12th pick overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He's been reminded a million times that every other pick in that first round has seen at least one game in the NHL except him. The Rangers feel that his time has come. It's time to sink or swim and based upon the conversation Howlings had with the Darien, Connecticut native, he's ready to soar.

"I am coming to make the team (the Rangers) right out of camp. If for some reason I don't, then I'm going to the AHL and play so well that they have no choice but to bring me up." Said the determined 6'6" 230 pounder.

Jessiman has been in California working out all summer with a "Trainer who works with Chris Chelios and a lot of other NHL guys. I'm going to come into camp in the best shape of my life." Jessiman said.

At times last season Jessiman showed flashes of why he was selected where he was but never put it together consistently enough to be seriously considered for promotion and he acknowledged that. He also believes in himself and feels his confidence building and getting where he feels it needs to be in order to compete at the next level.

With training camp just around the corner, the Rangers don't feel the book should be closed on the power forward just yet...and there have been plenty of books that started off slow and ended up finishing really strong. There's no reason to believe this one won't.

Here's the official release.

Rangers Agree To Terms With Hugh Jessiman

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Hugh Jessiman.

Jessiman, 24, skated in 71 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season, registering 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points, along with 154 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating. He established career-highs in goals, assists, points, penalty minutes, and plus/minus rating. Among all Wolf Pack skaters, he ranked third in penalty minutes (154), eighth in points (42), and tied for fifth in goals (18) and eighth in assists (24). He also posted nine multiple-point games, including one three-point effort on March 29 vs. Springfield (one goal and two assists). Jessiman recorded a career-high, six-game scoring streak from March 15 to March 29, collecting nine points (three goals and six assists) over the span. In addition, Jessiman appeared in five playoff games with Hartford, registering one assist and a team-leading, 21 penalty minutes.

The 6-6, 230-pounder has skated in 166 career AHL games in three seasons with Hartford, registering 32 goals and 42 assists for 74 points, along with 299 penalty minutes. In 2006-07, Jessiman notched his first career multiple-goal game on March 4 at Hershey (two goals), and recorded a three-game, goal-streak from February 24 to February 28 (three goals). On January 21, 2006, he tallied his first career AHL points with a two-point effort vs. Providence (one goal and one assist). In 14 career AHL playoff games with the Wolf Pack, Jessiman has collected one goal and one assist for two points, along with 30 penalty minutes. Additionally, he has also appeared in 45 career games with the Charlotte Checkers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), registering 25 goals and 20 assists for 45 points, along with 108 penalty minutes.
In college, Jessiman skated in 80 career contests with Dartmouth College of the East College Athletic Conference Hockey League (ECAC), collecting 40 goals and 42 assists for 82 points, along with 137 penalty minutes. In 2002-03, he set the Dartmouth record for freshman scoring with 47 points (23 goals and 24 assists), capturing the ECAC, Ivy League and New England Hockey Writer’s Association Rookie of the Year honors.

The New York, New York native was originally selected as the Rangers’ first round draft choice, 12th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

In case you need some reminders of what he has the ability to do:

(Hugh Jessiman photo courtesy of Chris Rutsch via hartfordwolfpack.com)

Comments

[GerryD]

Mitch -

I have'nt had much chance to see Hugh play - Do you think he has a decent shot to make the team this year???

[Mitch Beck]

Yes, I do think he will be an NHL player some day Gerry, and sooner rather than later.

I spoke with Hugh yesterday and I really got the feeling that he recognizes where thins are at with his career at this point.

The problem with Hugh has never been whether or not he has any talent. The question with Hugh has been his lack of consistency of effort. There have been times when you can easily see why he was picked as high as he was and then there are moments, sometimes even in the same game, or even on the same shift, when you ask yourself why he was drafted at all. However when Hugh is on his game and motivated and really in the groove, he's VERY difficult for the opposition to control.

As I'm sure you know, you can't teach size and Hugh has plenty of it. He's also strong as an ox. He has scoring touch and bangs bodies around. So it's all there. It's now a matter of putting it together on a nightly basis and showing he can be just that good.

Hugh even admits that he knows that this is a make-or-break year for him. If he's going to make the NHL he's going to have to do it now.

Personally, I think he will.

[rcm]

Hey, this guy went to Dartmouth. He better get his head together. Perhaps some kind of mental instruction to go along with his boxing lessons of a couple years ago could put this guy on the right track.