Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno and Team Canada kick off their World Junior Summer Showcase appearances with a game against Team USA on Tuesday at 4 PM, and the Detroit News reports that Veleno is centering a line with 2020 consensus top pick Alexis Lafreniere:
Veleno, a 6-1, 191-pound center who was selected 30th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, and left-winger Lafreniere were paired on the same line for the first two practices with right-winger Kirby Dach, the third overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL draft.
The 17-year-old Lafreniere had 105 points (37 goals, 68 assists) in 61 games with the Rimouski Oceanic last year and was the most valuable player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the player of the year in the Canadian Hockey League.
“We both have good hockey sense and good skill and see each other pretty well on the ice,” Veleno said. “We’re both guys who are really competitive and want to help the team win as much as possible.
“He’s dynamic in every sense. He can score, he can pass and create plays with his hockey sense. He makes his linemates better and is honestly just an amazing player.”
Update: The Detroit News also posted a video of Veleno speaking with the media…
And TSN posted a video of Veleno’s comments as well (no embed code available).
Update #2: Here’s the TSN video via YouTube:
Hey George. I thought you were supposed to be re-charging on a family vacation? Instead you’ve posted like 10 articles. Don’t burn out. It’s all quiet here.
That’s just the “George” I’ve come to respect and rely on for over ten years. Relax-mode is near-overdrive! 🙂
Its not a job. It is a lifestyle with benefit$.
But maybe not health benefits. Ba dum dum bah. Couldn’t resist that one.