The Detroit Red Wings and forward Joseph Veleno avoided arbitration and agreed to a two-year, $4.55 million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $2,275,000, as reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Last season, Veleno recorded 12 goals and 16 assists for a total of 28 points in 80 regular-season games with the Red Wings. Over his four NHL seasons, the 24-year-old has accumulated 30 goals and 34 assists, totaling 64 points in 232 regular-season games.
Selected 30th overall by the Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Veleno spent time between the AHL and Sweden’s top professional league in 2020-21 before securing a full-time spot with the Red Wings in 2021-22.
Veleno played four seasons in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs, helping the Sea Dogs win the 2017 QMJHL President’s Cup.
In the 2017-18 season, he began with Saint John before being traded to Drummondville, where he scored 16 goals and 32 assists for 48 points in 33 games, finishing the regular season with a combined 22 goals and 57 assists for 79 points in 64 games. The Montreal native was then drafted by the Red Wings that summer.
In his final junior season in 2018-19, Veleno scored 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 points in 59 games, followed by eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 16 playoff games. After Drummondville was eliminated, the Red Wings signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Detroit and Joe Veleno have settled
2x$2.275M
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 19, 2024
The Red Wings ended the 2023-24 season with a 41-32-9 record and 91 points, placing fifth in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division, and missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the final day of the regular season due to a tie-breaker with the Washington Capitals.
