Jimmy Vesey accepts the Hobey Baker Award at this year’s ceremonies in Tampa. (Photo by Bob Snow, Bruins Daily)

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Come August 15th, former Harvard University standout and this year’s Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey will have his choice of suitors as he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

In an interview with Joe Haggerty of CSNNE, Vesey admitted that the Bruins are on his short list of teams to sign with. The North Reading native could realize his childhood dream of suiting up for the Black and Gold.

Ryan Donato, a teammate of Vesey’s at Harvard, and former Boston University standout Matt Grzcelyk, a longtime friend, are two Bruins prospects who hope to join him down the road if he chooses to don the Spoked B.

“At Harvard the things that he was doing was incredible,” Donato said about Vesey. “If he’s not going to [make it into the NHL] then it’s going to be tough for a lot of guys to do it. His game is so developed and I hope that he’ll have an impact right away.”

That impact could have been made in Nashville where Vesey could have played a top-9 or top-6 role in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Opting to not sign with the Predators, who selected him in the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft, leads us to the current state of the Vesey watch.

In light of missing out on Development Camp, Vesey is training in Foxboro this summer. Both Donato and Grzeclyk, as well as Dorchester’s own Jimmy Hayes, have trained with Vesey at the Foxboro Sports Center.

Given the pressure and circumstance surrounding Vesey, both Donato and Grzeclyk haven’t been too involved in recruiting him to sign with the Bruins organization.

“Obviously he’s one of my good friends, so I’m just going to be happy for him wherever he picks,” Grzeclyk said. “I’m sure that he’s had a pretty hectic summer so far so just let it play out and see what happens,”

“I’ve tried a little bit. It’s probably tough enough being in Boston with everybody on his back.” Donato said about courting his college teammate to sign with the B’s. “But he’s a smart kid. He’ll make the smart decision for whatever his future holds. Obviously, I would definitely want him to come to Boston for sure, but it’s up to him really, and I don’t want to be an influence too much, but he’s a great teammate, great friend and I hope for the best of him wherever he goes.”

Aside from the Bruins, the Sabres and Maple Leafs are rumored to be on Vesey’s short list. The Sabres, who hold his negotiating rights after acquiring him from Nashville for a third round pick in this year’s draft, could sell him on playing with Jack Eichel, a former BU standout and friend fo Vesey’s. And then there are the family ties with the Leafs where Vesey’s brother, Nolan, is a prospect and his father, Jim, is a scout for the organization.

Wherever Vesey goes, he’ll be in good company. The Bruins are hoping to keep him home to begin his NHL career.