Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed center Joe Veleno to a two-year contract, the team announced today. The contract carries an average annual value of $2.275 million.

Veleno, 24, participated in 80 games during the 2023-24 season, achieving career highs in several categories: goals (12), assists (16), points (28), power play goals (3), shots (86), and shooting percentage (14.0). Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 201 pounds, Veleno spent the entire 2022-23 season with Detroit, recording 20 points (9-11-20) and accumulating 30 penalty minutes over 81 games. Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (30th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Veleno has amassed a total of 64 points (30-34-64) and 81 penalty minutes across 232 NHL games since his debut in the 2020-21 season. Additionally, he has collected 36 points (18-18-36) and served 26 penalty minutes in 69 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins from 2019 to 2022. Veleno also played for the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League during part of the 2020-21 season, scoring 20 points (11-9-20) and incurring 20 penalty minutes in 46 games before returning to North America.

Before turning professional, Veleno played four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2015 to 2019. During this period, he accumulated a total of 266 points (90-176-266), achieved a plus-82 rating, and served for a combined total of106 penalty minutes over230 games. He also scored46 points(27–19–46)and incurred34 penalty minutesin61 postseason matchups.In2018–19,Velenowas selected tothe QMJHL First All-Star Team after ranking fourth inthe league with104points(42–62–104)in59 regular-season gameswithDrummondville.VelenohelpedSaintJohnwin a QMJHL championshipin2016–17by notching40points(13–27–40)and serving18penaltyminutesin45regular-seasongamesbefore collecting11points(8–3–11)and14penaltyminutesin18playoff contests.A nativeofKirkland,Quebec,VelenobecamethefirstQuebec-bornprospecttobegranted exceptionalplayerstatusbyHockeyCanadain2015.Ontheinternationalstage,VelenowonagoldmedalwithTeamCanadaatthe2023IIHFWorldChampionship,tallyingfivepoints(2–3–5)infivegames.Healsorepresentedhis countryatback-to-backIIHFWorldJuniorChampionshipsin2019and2020earningagoldmedalat the2020tournament.Additionally,Velenodishedoutthreeassistsinfourappearancesatthe2018IIHFWorldUnder-18ChampionshipandcaptainedTeamCanadatogoldatthe2017IvanHlinkaMemorialTournament.

Joe Veleno was born on January13,2000,in Kirkland,PQ.He stands6 feet1 inch tall,weighs201 pounds,and shoots left.VelenowasselectedbytheDetroitRedWingsinthefirstroundofthe2018NHLEntryDraftwiththe30thoverallpick.