The Detroit Red Wings have signed restricted free agent Joe Veleno to a two year deal worth $2.275 million annually.
The 24-year old center is coming off a 28-point season (12+16) over 80 games, setting personal bests in goals, assists and points. The Red Wings 2018 30th overall pick has skated in 232 NHL games so far, scoring 30 goals and 34 assists for 64 points.
Before Veleno got his start in the NHL, he was a prolific scorer in the QMJHL. In 2015, he became the league's first player to be granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada. This allowed Veleno to enter the QMJHL full time one season earlier.
Veleno was drafted by the Saint John Sea Dogs with the first overall selection in the 2015 QMJHL Draft. He would play with the Sea Dogs for two and a half seasons, winning a QMJHL championship in his second season there and being named the team's captain in his third season. Though, he would get dealt to the Drummondville Voltigeurs mid-way through his NHL draft year. He would pot 79 points (22+57) across 64 games between the two teams, leading to his selection at 30th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Draft.
He would finish his QMJHL career in Drummondville, surpassing the 100 point barrier in his final year with 104 points (42+62) over 59 games, for a grand total of 90 goals, 176 assists and 266 points over 230 games across four seasons.
He would then spend time in the Detroit's AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, and the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden before becoming an NHL regular with the Red Wings.
Veleno will remain a restricted free agent with the Red Wings at the conclusion of this new deal.