The Athletic’s Max Bultman filed a mailbag feature this morning, and, among his many answers to reader queries is the following:
What’s the plan for Joe Veleno? I’d love to see him up at some point soon. — Chad M.
There’s a decent chance you will. In fact, Blashill said a couple of weeks ago, “There’s going to be a time when Joe plays for us this year. I would bet on that.”
That was while he was explaining that the chance for Veleno to thrive high in the lineup in Grand Rapids was the main reason they sent him down to start this season.
“If he wasn’t going to be in our top six — maybe you could make an argument in the middle-six somewhere — but we just wanted him to be in really important roles,” Blashill said.
The key was Veleno building confidence and continuing to develop his offensive game, so he’s ready when the Red Wings do need him in that top-six or top-nine capacity.
“When (he’s called up), we want to make sure Joe’s feeling really confident and that he’s playing at a really, really high level and continue to develop the offense,” Blashill said. “I don’t know what Joe’s offensive ceiling is. I know he can be a really good third-line player. I know that. I really believe that. But can he be more than that? Well, we’re hoping so, and he’s hoping so. He wants to be. Well, to do that, you’ve gotta (score points), and you’ve gotta produce and you’ve gotta be in those offensive situations, and I didn’t have spots for him here right now, so let’s have him do it in Grand Rapids.”
Continued (paywall)
Well with GR playing like the Wings last year, no callup?
That is another Blashill moron comment. Of course GR may have some growing pains, GR has to let players grab the experience and if called up , use it. GR doesn’t have a roster that has more prospects, yet. The day when a Prospect pushes an older prospect out of an NHL job, would be nice.
I am not going to look but I would think not many if any teams have an NHL team of prospects actually showing progress, at least for now and winning. GR should be winning more but it will hopefully take a few years to get a full young crop of prospects pushing a few Big Team Dmen and middle 6 forwards (and a younger backup goalie) and a fresh Coaches.
Blashill seems to try to say some things and they don’t sound right. Like Tanguay type of assistant coaches.
I fail to see anything wrong with what Blash said. How is he wrong? You don’t think he and Steve are pretty much in agreeance?