The Red Wings just made a former rival stronger this past season. A former rival that spent the last few years in the NHL’s doldrums. And to add insult to injury, the Wings also saw two teams jump ahead of them in their own division. Two young teams that may not be keen on giving up the ground they’ve made over the Wings.
This is why, in hindsight, one move Steve Yzerman made back in March, well, made no sense. Not an iota of sense. Remember when he traded Joe Veleno to the Chicago Blackhawks for Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith? And hey, I gave Yzerman the benefit of the doubt at the time, sort of, seeing some logic to bring in some veterans to help fuel a playoff run.
But at the same time, I bit my tongue, also noticing a gaping flaw in this logic. Yeah, you traded for experience, but you traded away a decent piece to the core. No, not someone who’d come in and log top-six minutes, because that ain’t happening with Veleno. Instead, you traded someone who could’ve been a staple on the lower lines.
Trading Joe Veleno was questionable in foresight; a mistake in hindsight
Let’s check out Joe Veleno’s stats with the Wings: 56 games played, five goals, 10 points, a minus-14 rating, a 47.2 faceoff win percentage, 32 blocks, and 93 hits. No, these aren’t the greatest numbers in the world, but Veleno looked like someone at least trending toward that 50-50 win percentage in defensive zone faceoffs and his physical play is something the Red Wings could’ve used down the stretch.
Yeah, his play had issues, but he’s someone who could’ve evolved into a player that would’ve logged some quality fourth-line minutes. And when you’re fighting for a playoff spot, you need forwards willing to land four to five body checks per game, which is something you see in late March and beyond.
So, I’m calling this one a miss, especially if Steve Yzerman doesn’t find ways to turn the Red Wings into a more physical team this summer. Yes, he has some talent in the pipeline that could be forging their way upward, but Veleno’s presence would’ve completed a gritty and young line that boasts players like Carter Mazur and Elmer Soderblom as early as 2025-26.
How Joe Veleno’s fared with the Chicago Blackhawks
While he still averaged a poor minus-9 rating, Joe Veleno snagged three goals and seven points in 18 games. He proved he could be a fixture on the bottom six with 46 hits, or nearly three per game. Now, give him a full season in the Windy City playing with that same style, and the Hawks just added a player who’ll become one of the NHL’s edgiest.
No, he won’t be a big-time scorer with the Hawks or even an outstanding points producer. But that’s not why he’s in Chicago or even why he’s in the league, for that matter. Veleno is a bruiser whose physical play will continue increasing with time.