Restricted free agent forward Joe Veleno signed a two-year, $4.55 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
Veleno, 24, filed for salary arbitration July 5. He recorded 28 points (12 goals, 16
assists) in 80 games last season while playing on a one-year deal worth $825,000.
He has totaled 64 points (30 goals, 34 assists) in 232 career games since being
selected by the Red Wings with the 30th overall pick of the 2018 NHL draft.
once again a pending restricted free agent, a year after his one-year deal worth $825,000. That one-year ‘prove it’
bridge deal wasn’t agreed upon until late last summer, which raised a few eyebrows at the time, especially with
general manager Steve Yzerman’s busy off-season.
Speaking about a busy off-season, I expect another one this summer for Yzerman and Co. The Detroit Red Wings
have a ton of work to do, including extending pending restricted free agents Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. I
expect Raymond’s new deal to be around $8 million annually, and I feel as though there is a chance we will see Seider’s come in at around $9 million or more.
Then, Detroit must decide whether it can or is willing to come to terms with veterans Patrick Kane, David Perron, and
Shayne Gostisbehere. The Red Wings also need to decide about the future of a
cluster of role-forwards such as Daniel Sprong, Austin Czarnik, Christian Fischer, and Joe Veleno.
The Red Wings extended Michael Rasmussen during the year. In late February, the two sides agreed to a four-year contract extension that pays the versatile forward $3.2 million annually.
Veleno, 24, posted career-highs across the board this past season, his third full season with Detroit, notching 12 goals
and 16 assists, totaling 28 games while averaging just a hair under 14 minutes of ice per night. The Red Wings drafted
Veleno with the No. 30 pick in the first round of the 2018 NHL Entry Level Draft. In junior, Veleno was granted
exceptional status, allowing him to begin his junior career a year earlier than usual at the age of 15 rather than 16.
