Montreal Canadiens center Joe Veleno had a lot of people supporting his effort to make the team out of training camp, and it’s not hard to understand why.
The 25-year-old Veleno grew up in Kirkland, on Montreal’s West Island, about a 30-minute drive from Centre Bell. A first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in the 2018 draft by the Detroit Red Wings, Veleno has been open about his opportunity to suit up for the hometown team.
“It’s a privilege to put on this sweater and play for the Canadiens,” he said.
Joe Veleno Touted as ‘A Feel-Good Story’ for the Montreal Canadiens
Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette called Veleno “a feel-good story at training camp” after he made it through the final cuts, but Veleno is well aware that his spot on the team comes with no guarantees. It’s been a whirlwind trip back home for Veleno, who has been a member of four NHL rosters over the past nine months.
Veleno began the 2024-25 season with the Red Wings and played 56 games but was traded just before the deadline in early March to the Chicago Blackhawks for Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith. He finished the season with Chicago, playing in 18 games, but Veleno was swapped for Andre Burakovsky in a late June transaction that sent him to Seattle, who quickly placed him on waivers in order to buy out the final season of his contract.
Ostensibly helped by a connection to Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes, his former agent, Veleno signed a one-year, $900,000 contract for a shot at making the team — a shot he knows is entirely contingent on performance.
“The work doesn’t stop as I’ve realized in the past,” he said. “Just because you’re here today you can never be kind of satisfied and too comfortable. There’s always work to be done and I’ve realized that.”
For some, that work has been satisfactory. Veleno opened the season as a healthy scratch but has seen fourth line duty in the past three games, earning a thumbs up in a recent X (formerly Twitter) post from Cowan.
“Joe Veleno looking very good in #Habs uniform so far,” the veteran sportswriter beamed.
Costa Rontzocos, a freelance analyst who covers the Canadiens, was similarly positive in his assessment of Veleno’s start with the team.
“Joe Veleno looks like he’s understood the assignment,” Rontzocos posted.
Joe Veleno Needs to Continue Earning his Spot With the Canadiens
But not everyone has been so quick to praise the Montreal native’s Canadiens debut. Patrick Guillet, an independent reporter and analyst of the Canadiens, had this to say about Veleno’s play in a post following Montreal’s 4-2 win over Buffalo on Monday:
“I see a lot of people getting excited about Joe Veleno’s arrival in the lineup.
“Veleno took advantage of injuries to Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach to finally be inserted into the Canadiens’ lineup last Saturday against the Rangers.
“He wasn’t very impressive and was only used for 9:44, which is less than Patrik Laine. Was he rusty? Possibly. But the fact remains that the coach didn’t use him much in the third period, despite the forward having excellent offensive instincts.
“I have a lot of reservations about Joe Veleno. He’s with his fourth NHL team, and he’s only 25 years old. In principle, at that age, he should be an established player.
“His talent is obvious during practices, but he also has that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that prevents coaches from using him regularly during games.
“He’ll need to find that thing that makes him a unique player and forces the coach to keep him in the lineup night after night, otherwise his years in the NHL will soon be over.”
While the reviews may be mixed, Veleno’s challenge remains clear: continue to prove his value and secure his place in the Canadiens’ future plans.
As the season progresses, Veleno’s performance will be closely watched. His ability to adapt and contribute meaningfully could determine not only his role with the Canadiens but also his long-term prospects in the NHL.
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