Red Wings: Joe Veleno Deserves Better

The Detroit Red Wings young core is filled with so much talent. With two Calder trophy finalists in Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, it’s often forgotten that they aren’t the only two budding stars on this Red Wings team.

The Detroit Red Wings have been in rebuild mode for the last couple years, and after having such a dominant stretch like we did back in 90’s and early 2000’s. I mean, no team is going to be able to constantly dominate every season since they first started. I mean, that’s just the way the world works. However, the Red Wings are very close to really start competing once again.

The Red Wings, as I stated above, have both Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond on the roster who are competing for the Calder trophy this year. Which, anytime you have two players on your roster that are competing for a trophy as valuable as that, it must be a good feeling. Furthermore, as I stated above, those two have left a couple players in the limelight. For example, Joe Veleno.

Joe Veleno was the Detroit Red Wings first-round draft pick back in 2018 and that is a pick that we should be more grateful for. However, with that being said, there is a reason we aren’t. It’s because Veleno hasn’t been given a true chance to show what he can do.

When it comes to breaking out in this league, it comes down to opportunity. I mean, players don’t just get drafted in the first-round because they suck? No- they are talented players that just need to be given a role that fits their play style. Let’s look at it this way;

When Connor McDavid was drafted into the NHL, he was supposed to be a superstar on day one. What made him a superstar was his skating, his hands, and his playmaking ability. He was a great all-around player, but it was his offensive skillset that stood out to everyone. That being said, why would you put a guy who is a elite offensive player on a third or fourth line to go out there and play defense? It’s not logical. Yet, that’s exactly how it feels with Veleno.

While watching the last couple games, I’ve really grown to notice how ready Veleno is for a shot in the top six. Yesterday, he was skating very, very, very well and he was putting shots on the net and trying to make plays. Yet, he stayed on the third line for a majority of the game and didn’t receive minutes to reward his efforts.

Veleno, even when entering the NHL entry draft, was known for his production and intangibles. He was a terrific skater, and produced year-in, year-out while in the QMJHL. Similarly, If you can score like he did in the QMJHL, you can score at this level. I mean, it’s going to be much harder- but you don’t just lose your talent- it’s there- you just have to get the chance to show it and he hasn’t.

For Joe Veleno, it’s going to be hard to move up in the lineup this year. Especially given who they have coaching the team, but he definitely deserves the chance too. Also, on the point of being realistic, they have to try changing some things up. Shake up the lines and give some players like Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno, and Jakub Vrana some more minutes.

Your wasting away their years of development if all you are going to do is play them on the third and fourth lines and they deserve so much better than that. Now, I will say to counter my point that they have to earn their way up the lines, but I feel Veleno has done just that. Additionally, when he get’s his chance he will show the coaches they made a mistake putting him on the third line for most of the season.