The Montreal Canadiens announced on Wednesday that they have finalized a one-year contract with forward Joe Veleno.
Last season, the 25-year-old Montreal native played 74 games for both Detroit and Chicago, recording eight goals and nine assists.
After being traded to the Blackhawks at the NHL trade deadline, he contributed three goals and four assists in 18 appearances.
Since being drafted 30th overall by the Red Wings in the first round of the 2018 NHL draft, Veleno has accumulated 38 goals and 43 assists across 306 NHL games.
During the 2023-24 season, the six-foot-one, 201-pound forward achieved career bests with 12 goals, 16 assists, and 28 points.
Veleno holds the distinction of being the first Quebec-born player, and only the fifth overall, to be granted “exceptional player status,” which allowed him to begin playing major junior hockey at the age of 15. He was the top pick by the Saint John Sea Dogs in the 2015 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft.
His major junior career spanned five seasons in the QMJHL, playing for both Saint John and Drummondville. In his final major junior season (2018-19) with the Voltigeurs, he impressively tallied 42 goals and 62 assists in 59 games.
