Joe Veleno didn’t stay on the market for long.
Just two days after the Canadiens let him reach unrestricted free agency, the New York Rangers stepped in and signed the 26-year-old forward to a one-year, US$1.2 million contract on Wednesday.
Veleno’s season in Montreal was enough to earn him another NHL deal, even if the offence never really followed. He finished with 2-3-5 in 61 regular-season games and added one assist in nine playoff appearances, and the Canadiens did not include him among the eight players they made qualifying offers to on Monday. That left the Kirkland native free to shop his next stop.
The Canadiens had brought Veleno in on a one-year, US$900,000 contract last summer, and he carved out a useful niche once he got into the lineup. He handled fourth-line minutes at centre and on the wing, contributed on the penalty kill and finished third on the club in hits with 166. That came despite averaging only 12:05 of ice time per game, with Arber Xhekaj (178) and Zachary Bolduc (170) the only Canadiens ahead of him in that category.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis had been impressed by the way Veleno adjusted his game.
"I think he's had a really good year in terms of, I wouldn't say recreating himself, but probably having a switch in how he sees his game to have an impact and be in the lineup," Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said about Veleno late in the season.
"Being a high draft pick in Detroit, probably came in as an offensive player and stuff, and I feel like he walked in here and realized those chairs are taken - how can I be valuable to a team? And I feel like he's had an understanding of what kind of identity he needs to grab right now, and he's done that - and he's done that with an unbelievable attitude.
"That's why some of these guys extend their careers, have long careers, because they have awareness of what's going on and how they need to adapt, and he's done that," St. Louis added.
"And he's done that with an unbelievable attitude and I feel like I know exactly what I'm getting when he comes in. For a coach, that you can trust players like that and they can fill a role, it's a plus."
Veleno’s path to the NHL has been a notable one. The Detroit Red Wings took the 6-foot-1, 201-pound centre in the first round, 30th overall, at the 2018 NHL Draft. Before that, he became the only Quebecer ever granted exceptional-player status to play in the QMJHL as a 15-year-old, and he was the No. 1 overall pick by the Saint John Sea Dogs at the 2015 QMJHL Draft.
His final junior season, split with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in 2018-19, was a monster one: 42-62-104 in 59 games. The NHL, though, has been a different story. His best production at that level came in 2023-24 with Detroit, when he posted 12-16-28 in 80 games.
Now he gets another chance with the Rangers, who are betting a one-year deal that Veleno’s value can keep showing up in ways beyond the scoresheet.
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