Red Wings: Joe Veleno needs to turn corner in 2020-21 season
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings need to expect Joe Veleno to make the jump next season.
Since the Detroit Red Wings season is over and the offseason is underway, it is time to look at the future of the organization. While General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman is working on the Yzer-plan and getting the Red Wings back to an era of the competition once again.
Looking ahead, Joe Veleno is a forward prospect who needs to turn a corner and find his way into the National Hockey League (NHL) this upcoming season. Now Veleno is not struggling, but he has not been the Grade A scorer that he was in his time in the QMJHL.
The 2020-21 season may be Veleno’s opportunity to prove himself in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins and then get his ten-game try-out with the Red Wings. Veleno is twenty-years-old and the 2020-21 season will be his second season in the AHL after moving on from Juniors.
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In his first season with the Griffins, Veleno played in 54 games while scoring 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 total points on the season.
The issue with Veleno is that he was a minus-25 on the season with the Griffins, which is less than ideal for the top prospect.
Veleno is in a similar spot as Michael Rasmussen, except Veleno has more pressure to emerge as a dominant scorer for the Red Wings future. Rasmussen is just trying to earn his way back into the Red Wings lineup.
The 2020-21 season is going to give Veleno a chance to make strides and prove himself as the top talent in the Red Wings system.
The centerman stands 6-foot-1, weighing in at 194-pounds and should show that he truly is one of/if not the top offensive prospect(s) this organization has.
Veleno can use this upcoming season as a chance to develop and hone in on the skills that make him such a dangerous forward. For example, Veleno’s abilities to make solid plays, carry the puck into the zone and create scoring chances at the higher level.
If the Red Wings rebuild is going to be a success, it will rely on the development of Veleno into one of the organizations’ staple players in the lineup for the future. Veleno should be able to translate his game, it seems to have just taken some time and the 2020-21 season is where he should turn the corner.
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With any luck, the Detroit Red Wings may see Joe Veleno don a winged-wheel uniform in the 2020-21 season even just for a few games on a trial basis after a strong start with the Griffins.