Red Wings forward Joe Veleno spoke with DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills regarding signing his new 2-year, $4.55 million contract with Detroit:
“It’s nice to have a deal done,” Veleno recently told DetroitRedWings.com. “I don’t think anyone looks to go to arbitration, so I’m really happy we came to an agreement. This gives me another two years with Detroit. I want to be here and stay here. I don’t envision myself anywhere else.”
Veleno, who was the Red Wings’ 30th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, set NHL career-highs in goals (12), assists (16) and points (28) in 80 games last season. The 24-year-old forward also proved to be very versatile for Detroit, filling a top-six role and contributing on both special teams units when called upon by the coaching staff.
“It’s helped our depth and made us competitive all year, the ability to play him on the wing and center,” Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said about Veleno on March 5. “I think extremely valuable, especially in today’s NHL.”
Veleno believes he became a more complete player during his second full campaign with the Red Wings.
“I took strides in the right direction numbers-wise, but in my role, I ended up getting my feet wet with some new things,” Veleno said. “Having that experience is huge and I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. At the end of the day, it’s up to me to take advantage of that.”
