Red Wings Re-Sign Joe Veleno to Two-Year Contract

2018 First-Round Pick Has Played in 232 Games with Detroit

The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed center Joe Veleno to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.275 million.

Veleno, 24, skated in 80 games with the Red Wings during the 2023-24 season and set career highs in goals (12), assists (16), points (28), power play goals (3), shots (86) and shooting percentage (14.0). The 6-foot-1, 201-pound forward spent the entire 2022-23 campaign in Detroit, recording 20 points (9-11-20) and 30 penalty minutes in 81 games. Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (30th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Veleno has totaled 64 points (30-34-64) and 81 penalty minutes in 232 NHL games since 2020-21. He also collected 36 points (18-18-36) and 26 penalty minutes in 69 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins from 2019-22. Additionally, Veleno began the 2020-21 season with the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League, notching 20 points (11-9-20) and 20 penalty minutes in 46 games before returning to North America following the conclusion of the SHL season.

Prior to turning professional, Veleno played four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Maritimes 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 won a gold medal with Team Canada 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.

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