Red Wings re-sign Joe Veleno to one-year contract

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed center Joe Veleno to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $825,000.

Veleno, 23, spent the entire 2022-23 season with the Red Wings and set career highs in games played (81), goals (9), assists (11), points (20), penalty minutes (30), shots (85), hits (152) and blocks (44). The 6-foot-1, 203-pound forward split the 2021-22 campaign between the Red Wings and American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins, recording 15 points (8-7-15) and 22 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Red Wings, in addition to 10 points (6-4-10) and four penalty minutes in 11 appearances for the Griffins. Veleno began the 2020-21 season with the Swedish Hockey League's Malmo Redhawks, notching 20 points (11-9-20) and 20 penalty minutes in 46 games before netting one goal (1-0-1) in five games with Detroit and three points (1-2-3) in four games with the Griffins. Originally selected by the Red Wings in the first round (30th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Veleno has totaled 36 points (18-18-36) and 56 penalty minutes in 152 NHL games since 2020-21. He has also collected 36 points (18-18-36) and 26 penalty minutes in 69 games with Grand Rapids.

Prior to turning professional, Veleno played four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2015-19, racking up 266 points (90-176-266), a plus-82 rating and 106 penalty minutes in 230 games, along with 46 points (27-19-46) and 34 penalty minutes in 61 postseason matchups. In 2018-19, Veleno was selected to the QMJHL First All-Star Team after ranking fourth in the league with 104 points (42-62-104) in 59 regular-season games with Drummondville. Veleno helped Saint John win a QMJHL championship in 2016-17, notching 40 points (13-27-40) and 18 penalty minutes in 45 regular-season games before collecting 11 points (8-3-11) and 14 penalty minutes in 18 playoff contests. A native of Kirkland, Quebec, Veleno became the first Quebec-born prospect to be granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada in 2015. On the international stage, Veleno was a member of Canada's gold-medal entry at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, tallying five points (2-3-5) in five games. He also represented his country at back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships in 2019 and 2020, earning a gold medal at the 2020 tournament. Additionally, Veleno dished out three assists in four appearances at the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Championship and captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

Joe Veleno, Center

Born Jan 13 2000 -- Montreal, PQ

Height 6.01 -- Weight 203 -- Shoots L

Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 1 #30 overall 2018 NHL Entry Draft