Veleno Finds His Groove in Montreal

It's April 5th.

Welcome to NHL News Today, AI Power Coverage of Your Squad, I'm Corey with the story.

Joe Valino burst onto the scene as one of the rare 15-year-olds granted exceptional

status to play Major Junior Hockey, the first kid from Quebec, to pull it off.

Like Tvaris, Ekblad, and McDavid before him, the hype was real, but his past aid middle

of the road, solid production in the QMJHL, drafted 9th.

After all by Detroit in 2018, Scouts saw a versatile forward who could skate, defend,

and chip in, but he never dominated games on his own.

His pro career mirrored that uncertainty, bouncing between the American Hockey League,

NHL call-ups, and even a stint in Sweden during the pandemic.

In Detroit, his peak came last season, with 28 points in 80 games, earning a new deal,

but not much trust, average 11 minutes a night.

Backpack possession stats, by 2025, trays to Chicago, and a buyout turned him into a

reclamation project with few suitors.

Fans and teams always wondered what kind of NHL er he'd become, somewhere between star

and bust.

His journey highlighted how even exceptional prospects face identity crises, shifting

lines and roles without sticking the landing, leaving Detroit, faithful hoping for more

flash than never fully arrived.

This summer, he signed a low-risk one-year pact with his hometown Montreal Canadiens,

starting as the 13th forward, often scratched with barely, any ice.

But injuries to key guys like Alexander Texier and Josh Anderson opened the door, and

Valino stepped up with sharper defensive play, better puck, pressure, and a 51% face-off

win rate.

Now he's locked into a fourth line disruptor role, killing penalties, protecting late leads,

and using his speed to close lanes under coach Martin St St St St. Louis.

It's not the superstar path promised at 15, but in Montreal, Valino's finally found

his groove.

A reliable piece on home ice, where it counts most.