Just when you started to think Kent Hughes took a well-deserved vacation away from hockey, Sportsnet’s Eliotte Friedman sent a tweet that Joe Veleno decided to come back to his hometown and signed with the Montreal Canadiens. The story picked up steam quickly and was soon confirmed by the Habs.
Veleno signed a one-year contract with the Canadiens worth $900,000, adding well needed NHL depth for the Habs bottom 6 after the team lost significant pieces of last season’s lineup when Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia and Emil Heineman either signed elsewhere as free agents or were traded away.
What to expect from Veleno?
While it’s always a great story to see a local kid sign with his childhood team, expectations should be very small towards Veleno. Despite being granted exceptional status in the QJMHL, he never dominated the junior hockey level. His stock fell in his Draft-eligible year before the Detroit Red Wings took Veleno with the 30th overall pick of the 2018 Draft.
Veleno exploded offensively in his Draft-plus-one season (2018-19), racking up 42 goals and 109 regular season points for Drummondville in the regular season. However, skeptics noted that the play was already in his fourth full season in the Q. Meanwhile, he played a strictly checking and penalty killing role for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Back in the QMJHL, he had a decent but not spectacular playoff run (16 points in 17 games). He turned pro the next year.
At the NHL level, Veleno has been a solid defensive player. He protects the puck well and usually goes to the right spots defensively. Offensively, he rarely makes low-percentage risks. The flip side: he also doesn’t show much creativity or make many plays. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound centre is the same thing in the NHL he was at the international junior level. Veleno is a reliable enough checker to make a team and stay in the lineup but he’s a very modest offensive producer. He’s never topped 12 goals or 28 points (2023-24) in the NHL.
Dvorak replacement
While some have derisively called the player “Joe Vanilla” for his lack of offensive pop, Valeno is an acceptable bottom-six forward. He is versatile enough to play either wing if he’s not in the middle. Defensively, he can perform the responsibilities formerly handled by Christian Dvorak (now with Philadelphia). Offensively, he could approach Dvorak’s 2025-26 totals (12 goals, 33 points) at a much cheaper price.
The Flyers overpaid for Dvorak, albeit on a one-year deal without any no-trade protection
s. Dvorak will make $5.4 million in 2025-26. By comparison, Veleno is a bargain on his prove-it $900,000 contract for one season.
Plenty to prove
Veleno has bounced around this year. He finished the 2024-25 season with Chicago (18 games) after coming over from Detroit. On June 21, the Blackhawks traded Veleno to the Seattle Kraken for Andre Burakovsky. The next day, the Kraken bought out the remainder of Veleno’s deal and made the player an unrestricted free agent.
July opened with Veleno watching the NHL free agency train roll without him. Finally, two-plus weeks later, the Canadiens signed the 25-year-old forward.
Prove-it contract? Yes, Veleno has plenty to prove. His future as an NHL regular depends on his play for the Habs in 2025-26. Meanwhile, playing in his hometown is a dream come true for the Montreal native.
Depth guy with “some” potential but he has never performed up to expectations so far in the NHL, expect a guy who will fight for a roster spot on the 4th line.
At least St-Leonard and Montreal Nord are happy.
I suspect the Habs were worried their PK might suffer this season, with the loss of Dvorak and Armia.
Unfortunately, he seems mediocre/below average in the face-off dot, one of Dvorak’s strong points, but is left handed (along with Newhook), which the Habs needed.
Low risk signing that might find a niche in the lineup.