Adam Vingan

USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee

In opting not to add any significant pieces at Monday's NHL trade deadline, Predators general manager David Poile was incredibly mindful of the potential arrival of forward prospect Jimmy Vesey.

“The biggest thing in this trading deadline is that we did not want to give away Vesey’s position on our team," Poile said. "We have a place for him to come in and play. We feel he is as good or better than anybody we could have gotten in a trade. We want to sign him when he gets out of school. We've told him we have a place for him and I didn't want to take away that place."

Vesey is currently in his final semester at Harvard, where he has 21 goals and 41 points in 28 games. The Crimson are primed to participate in the NCAA's Frozen Four tournament, which begins March 25 and ends with the championship game April 9. Depending on how far Harvard advances, Vesey, whom the Predators selected in the third round of the 2012 draft, could theoretically be available for the playoffs if Nashville qualifies.

Prospect Jimmy Vesey remains loyal to Predators

Jimmy Vesey's plan: Harvard now, Predators later

He'd have to sign a entry-level contract first, which is no guarantee. The Predators currently hold Vesey's rights, but if he were to test free agency, there would be plenty of suitors who would want to sign the 22-year-old that led the nation with 32 goals last season and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to college hockey's top player.

In a recent article on the Players' Tribune website, Vesey shared his thoughts on returning to Harvard for his senior season after the Predators told him that he could immediately join their lineup last spring if he chose to forgo his final year of eligibility, calling it "the toughest decision I’ve ever made."

"When I officially announced my decision, everyone — and I mean everyone — seemed to have a comment," Vesey wrote. "Some people thought I must have been doing it to hold out for free agency this summer, while some people couldn’t fathom the fact that I was going back at all. ... Last time I checked, the NHL’s still right where it was last spring."

Predators stay out of trade deadline, keep roster intact

That is true, and the Predators remain optimistic that Vesey will join them when he's ready.

"Our confidence level is based on us drafting him, us having a good relationship with him, us spending time getting to know him and hopefully being part of the reason in helping him in his development," Poile said. "Now when we get close to the finish line, we have the place for him to play. We clearly know that he can come in and play on one of our top lines and feel that he can make a contribution. That's the reason why we're hopeful that we will sign him."

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