Just when it looked like Joe Veleno’s NHL career was slipping through the cracks, the 25-year-old forward has flipped the script — signing a one-year, $900,000 deal with the Montreal Canadiens in what feels like a do-or-die moment in his young career.
Veleno’s journey over the past few months has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. Once viewed as a rising star with untapped potential, his name came up at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, when the Chicago Blackhawks acquired him from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Craig Smith and Petr Mrazek. The move was seen as a bold, youth-focused gamble by Chicago — and for a moment, it looked like it might pay off.
In his short stint with the Blackhawks, Veleno showed flashes of promise, tallying 3 goals and 7 points in just 18 games, while throwing 46 hits and bringing a gritty edge to the lineup.
But his minus-9 rating and inconsistent shifts left Chicago unsure about his long-term fit, especially with their center depth overflowing with emerging talent.
Then came the unexpected twist: Chicago shipped Veleno off to the Seattle Kraken in a deal for winger Andrei Burakovsky. For most players, that would’ve been a clean slate — a new system, a new locker room, a new shot. But in a shocking move, the Kraken bought him out shortly after acquiring him, sending Veleno crashing into the uncertainty of unrestricted free agency.
It was a brutal turn. From deadline hope to discarded asset — in a matter of weeks.
But Veleno didn’t fold. He regrouped, stayed focused, and waited for the right door to open. That door has arrived in the form of the Montreal Canadiens, a franchise with a storied past and a hunger for fresh energy. It’s a city that embraces redemption stories — and Veleno now has the stage to write one of his own.
This deal isn’t just about filling a roster spot. For Veleno, it’s about proving that the fire is still there — that the player who once carried first-round expectations can still live up to the hype. For Montreal, it’s a low-risk, high-upside bet on a player with something to prove and nothing to lose.
As the Blackhawks move forward with their rebuild and the Kraken reset their lineup, Joe Veleno’s story is far from over. In fact, the most compelling chapter might be just beginning — in front of the roaring fans at the Bell Centre.
Rejection lit the spark. Montreal may just witness the explosion.
