As disappointed as he is, David Poile isn't giving up.

That was the message pushed by the Nashville Predators general manager after a report came out Monday night that top prospect Jimmy Vesey would not be signing his entry-level contract with the team, choosing instead to become a free agent as of Aug. 15.

"I clearly believe that Jimmy has received bad advice and bad counsel," Poile told reporters.

"(It's) very disappointing news for us, our fans and team," he added. "On Wednesday we received a call that Vesey was thinking about (free agency). That was the first time we ever heard something like that. We went to Harvard's game on Friday, we asked for a meeting with Jimmy (and) we never were allowed to get together for a meeting."

Poile also said Vesey would have been put in a position to succeed immediately in Nashville.

Finally, Poile made it clear nothing is yet set in stone, from his point of view at least.

"I'm not going to announce we haven't signed him, because I'm not giving up."

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