Bruins ‘did very well’ in meeting with Jimmy Vesey

<?EM-dummyText [Drophead goes here] ?>

With a decision imminent on which team he’ll join, Jimmy Vesey is ready to graduate to the NHL.Winslow Townson for The Boston G

On Wednesday, the Bruins pitched Jimmy Vesey on the appeal of playing for his hometown team.

Now they wait.

Vesey concluded two days of in-person meetings with his sitdown with the Bruins. Part of the Bruins' pitch involved a tour of Warrior Ice Arena, the team's new Brighton practice facility, according to the Providence Journal.

"Just ended," a source involved in the meeting wrote in a text on Wednesday evening. "Bruins did very well."

For years, the Bruins had considered a new practice rink as an important recruiting tool. Ristuccia Arena, their previous home in Wilmington, is viewed as one of the most outdated practice rinks in the league.

Practicing in Brighton would have only been one part of the Bruins' pitch. Depending on how quickly he acclimates to the NHL, Vesey could rise to be the team's No. 2 left wing behind Brad Marchand. He would be within a half-hour of his family's home in North Reading. Vesey could play with longtime friend and fellow Charlestown native Matt Grzelcyk, who will be a first-year pro this fall.

The quality of the Bruins' meeting does not guarantee a Black-and-Gold win in the Vesey sweepstakes. The Bruins were one of seven teams to be granted face time with the Charlestown native. Other suitors included the Blackhawks, Devils, Islanders, Maple Leafs, Penguins, and Rangers. Vesey already had met with the Sabres, who held his exclusive negotiating rights until they expired at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday.

The left wing will earn $925,000 in base pay annually, plus up to $1.925 million in performance bonuses. Vesey could make his decision on Thursday or Friday. Last week, Vesey related the counsel of Dorchester's Kevin Hayes, who also met with NHL suitors as a free agent in 2014 before signing with the Rangers.

"He said I'm going to know in my gut after going through the meetings," Vesey said. "I'm just going to do more listening than talking and see what they have to say. I'm just trying to get into the NHL and stay there with wherever I see my best opportunity."