DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed center Joe Veleno to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.275 million.

Veleno, a 24-year-old forward, had an impressive season with the Red Wings in 2023-24. He played in all 80 games and achieved career highs in several categories. He scored 12 goals, assisted on 16 goals, and had a total of 28 points. Veleno also excelled on the power play, scoring 3 goals with the man advantage. He took 86 shots throughout the season, and his shooting percentage was an impressive 14.0.

In the previous season, Veleno played all 81 games for the Red Wings, recording 20 points (9 goals and 11 assists) and 30 penalty minutes. He has been a part of the Red Wings organization since he was selected by them in the first round (30th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Veleno has accumulated 64 points (30 goals and 34 assists) and 81 penalty minutes in 232 NHL games since the 2020-21 season.

Before joining the NHL, Veleno played for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League from 2019-2022. He scored 36 points (18 goals and 18 assists) and had 26 penalty minutes in 69 games with the Griffins. Additionally, Veleno started the 2020-21 season with the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League, where he scored 20 points (11 goals and 9 assists) and had 20 penalty minutes in 46 games. He returned to North America after the SHL season concluded.

Before turning professional, Veleno spent four seasons playing for the Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League from 2015-19. During this time, he accumulated 266 points (90 goals, 176 assists) and had a plus-82 rating in 230 games. He also had 106 penalty minutes during the regular season and 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) and 34 penalty minutes in 61 playoff games.

In the 2018-19 season, Veleno was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team after finishing fourth in the league with 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 59 regular-season games with Drummondville.

Veleno played a key role in helping the Saint John Sea Dogs win the QMJHL championship in the 2016-17 season. He recorded 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) and 18 penalty minutes in 45 regular-season games and added 11 points (8 goals, 3 assists) and 14 penalty minutes in 18 playoff games.

Veleno, who hails from Kirkland, Quebec, made history as the first Quebec-born player to be granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada in 2015.

On the international stage, Veleno achieved great success. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, contributing five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in five games. He also represented Canada in the back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships in 2019 and 2020, winning a gold medal in the 2020 tournament. Additionally, Veleno had three assists in four appearances at the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Championship and served as the captain of Team Canada, leading them to a gold medal at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

Joe Veleno, Center

Born Jan 13 2000 — Kirkland, PQ

Height 6.01 — Weight 201 — Shoots L  

The Detroit Red Wings chose me as their pick in the first round, 30th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.