Veleno and Berggren having 'a lot of fun on and off the ice'

DETROIT -- Joe Veleno smiles when he thinks back to his first interactions with Jonatan Berggren.

"I've known Bergy ever since we were drafted," Veleno told
DetroitRedWings.com
. "And at my first development camp, he was one of the first Europeans that I was sitting right next to in the locker room. I remember, to this day, he was talking Swedish. I kept making fun of him, so that's how our relationship started."
The Detroit Red Wings selected Veleno in the first round (30th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft before taking Berggren three picks later (No. 33) in the second round. The pair of forwards, inextricably linked through the draft, quickly formed a friendship.
"We're lucky as young players because we're close and around the same age," Veleno said. "It makes it easier to talk to guys and build relationships."

Veleno and Berggren crossed paths again during the 2020-21 season, playing against each other in the Swedish Hockey League before sharing the ice for 11 games last year with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins.
Veleno, 23, said he has taken the 22-year-old Berggren under his wing.
"I am more than glad to help him," Veleno said. "Anything he needs, if he needs advice or help, he knows he can always reach out to me. At the same time, he's gotta learn for himself. He's gonna experience things and make mistakes. That's all obviously part of it. He's done a really good job so far."
When asked what it has been like to have an influence like Veleno, Berggren shook his head in disbelief before letting out a laugh.
"I think I have helped him a lot," Berggren insisted. "I would say he has that planned in his head. I feel like he's been a little brother to me. I take care of him. It is nice driving around with him, so I can give him that."
The banter between Veleno and Berggren rarely stops, especially since they sit just a few stalls apart in Detroit's dressing room. And as much as they push each others' buttons, the two players are very close.

"He was one of my first friends here," Berggren said. "He showed me around, helped me with my car and other stuff. We're two young kids, so we have a lot of fun on and off the ice. We have the same humor. It's been awesome."
They have been linemates, on and off, since Berggren made his NHL debut on Nov. 10. And while Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde has shuffled lines throughout the season, the on-ice chemistry between Veleno and Berggren is apparent.
"He's a strong, faster center who has helped me a lot," Berggren said about Veleno. "He creates space. We have fun outside of the rink, so it's been easy to talk to each other on the ice. It helps us both see the situation, which was a huge help for me in the beginning when I came up here."
After tallying 15 points in 66 games with Detroit in 2021-22, Veleno has seven goals and 10 assists in 72 games this season.
"I've had a lot of experience this year and last," Veleno said. "My speed, positioning on the ice and defensive play have all improved. I'm just reading the game a bit easier than last year. I still have a long way to go, but just trying to learn every day."
As for Berggren, he has 24 points on 13 goals and 11 assists through his first 58 NHL games.
"You need to be 100 percent every shift," Berggren said. "You can't take any shifts off. The guys are so good in this league, so they will hurt you right away. It's still a learning process for me, but I feel like I'm figuring it out. I hope that I will get better and better every day."

Veleno and Berggren are still learning the NHL ropes, but are motivated to help Detroit finish the remainder of the regular season on a high note.
"We need to have the mindset that we need to bring our best every game we play," Veleno said. "We can't take any nights off. If we're not in the playoff picture this year, then we just wanna keep building as a team. Keep building our character and learning through hard times as well as good times."