Detroit Red Wings prospect Joseph Veleno on the fast track to the NHL

Don’t look now but Detroit Red Wings first-round pick Joesph Veleno is lighting up the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It seems the young center is on the fast track to the NHL.

I’ll never forget how excited I was on “draft” night when Filip Zadina who was expected to be the third overall choice and fell into the lap of the Detroit Red Wings at six. My first reaction was a bit over dramatic; I thought here comes a sniper type player that will be inserted into the lineup right away and has the potential to score 30 goals regularly.

I mean, yes, that is a stretch, but that’s what sports do to its fans. The overreaction is hard to corral at times, but once the dust settles, you realize your initial reaction was a bit much. This is also the case for Joseph Veleno.

Veleno was drafted 30th overall in the first round by the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings acquired the pick in the Tomas Tatar deal with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Wings still have two picks remaining from that deal.

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Many scouts had him placed around 15th, but the center similar to Zadina fell to the Detroit Red Wings. If you’re not aware, Veleno was granted exceptional status as a 15-year-old. It’s a rare nomination that allows kids who are excelling, to play a season of Junior hockey a year sooner than the others at the age of 15 rather than 16.

Other players who were granted exceptional status in the past are Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, and John Tavares. I don’t need to mention it but I will anyway, he’s with tremendous company on this list. Sean Day was also granted this but hasn’t lived up to the hype he endured as a kid.

I sit here and can’t help but imagine the weight placed on the 15-year-olds shoulders at times was difficult to overcome. I mean they are basically telling you that you are one of the best 15-year-old hockey players in Canada. So at 15 years old, you need to control your emotions and ego, while trying to live up to the extraordinary honor.

While we are all licking our chops waiting for Filip Zadina to break out, maybe we should be watching Joe Veleno. Veleno will have the opportunity to insert himself into the Detroit Red Wings lineup next season. I think Joe could be a piece that speeds up the rebuild starting next year. He plays down the middle which is critical in this league, but he might start on the wing similar to Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou until he becomes comfortable.

I’m not diminishing the potential of Filip Zadina; he’s 19-years-old, I’m suggesting Joe Veleno may emerge and become the franchise’s most valuable prospect. If Zadina becomes the scorer that we expect and Veleno who is deemed to be more of a set-up guy, they will compliment each other very well as future second liners behind Bertuzzi, Larkin, and Mantha.

Joseph Veleno currently sits second in the QMJHL scoring race with 99 points in 53 games. He trails undrafted Peter Abbandonato by a mere 5 points. Abbandonato has played 9 more games this season or Veleno would have a legit shot at leading the league at this point.

He nearly made the team this summer after a strong training camp and solid preseason. The Wings decided they were going to keep Michael Rasmussen and potentially Filip Zadina. They likely made the right decision by sending Veleno back to junior for one more season to round out his game. Since Zadina was loaned to his junior club, he was able to play this season in the AHL rather than sending him back to junior.

dark. Next. Top pick Filip Zadina is figuring things out

Veleno plays for the Drummondville Voltigeurs, and his complete stat line looks like this; 53 games played, 41 goals, 58 assists totaling 99 points. He’s a plus 61 and has accumulated 19 penalty minutes. He’s burning out scoring lamps in junior faster than the arena management can change them. Don’t worry Detroit; help is on the way.

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