Joe Veleno Making the Most of Mounting Opportunity
From The Silky Mitten State: How Joe Veleno's game has grown with increased opportunity this season
Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports - Joe Veleno Making the Most of Mounting Opportunity2023-24 represents Joe Veleno's fourth season in the NHL, but it wasn't until last year that he spent a full campaign with the Detroit Red Wings, without the need for yo-yoing back and forth from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins. This year, Veleno's game has continued to grow, and his role with it.
Veleno has seven goals and five assists in 31 games, a pace poised to smash his previous career high in points (20 in 81 games a year ago). Derek Lalonde has praised the 23-year-old for his skating and puck carrying, promoting him to play alongside Dylan Larkin on the Red Wings' top line to help alleviate his captain's burden. Most recently, Veleno was forced into playing as Detroit's number one center with Larkin and J.T. Compher injured, another opportunity he embraced.
On the latest episode of The Silky Mitten State, Connor Earegood and I discussed Veleno's growth this season, putting it into the context of the perception around him when he was drafted back in 2018 and considering the progress he's made from there. Here's a sample of that conversation:
For the full conversation and episode, check out the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts:
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