Red Wings Agree To A 3-Year Entry Level Contract With Joe Veleno

Today the Red Wings signed 2018 1st round pick Joe Veleno to a 3-year entry level contract. Veleno is the third member of the 2018 draft class to sign an ELC.

Veleno, 19, just completed his final season in the QMJHL for the Drummondville Voltigeurs registering 104 points in 59 regular season games and 17 points in 16 playoff games. Veleno was a finalist for the QMJHL player of the year and named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team. Veleno finished 4th in QMJHL scoring and led the league in short-handed goals with 7.

Veleno is AHL eligible thanks to the season he played as an exceptional status player, giving him four years in the QMJHL. He will try to make the Red Wings out of camp, but look for him to start in Grand Rapids and have a big role from the start of the season. He’s a candidate to play 9 games in March to get a taste of the NHL like the Wings did with Filip Zadina this past season unless of course he blows expectations out of the water and plays his way into an NHL spot very quickly.