Another piece of the Red Wings' rebuild is set to arrive in the NHL, likely Tuesday night against the Blue Jackets.
The Red Wings called up 21-year-old center Joe Veleno from the taxi squad Tuesday afternoon, a week after he joined the club following the conclusion of his 2020-21 season with the Malmo Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League.
Veleno, a first-round pick of the Wings in 2018, finished third on the Redhawks in goals (11) and tied for fourth in points (20) in 46 games. He said Monday he also made significant strides on the defensive side of the puck, a focus of his entering the season.
"To be a 200-foot centerman in the NHL, you need to be relied upon defensively as well as produce offensively," he said. "I think I built a lot of good things in my game defensively and I can’t wait to go on the ice (here) and show it."
Specifically, Veleno said he improved his defensive positioning and knack for "reading plays."
"That’s something I’m going to have to do a good job at if I want to play in the NHL, being responsible in my own end," he said.
Veleno was viewed as a potential top-10 pick in the 2018 draft, but eventually slid to the Wings at No. 30. He later said he wanted to "shove it to the teams" that snubbed him.
"I want to be better than all those guys that went ahead of me," he said, "and prove to all the teams they shouldn’t have passed on me."
Here comes his first chance.
Veleno is likely to debut as a third- or fourth-line center for Detroit, with the opportunity to earn more minutes down the stretch. He admitted he feels the pressure to deliver as a highly-touted prospect, not that he considers it a burden.
"I like playing under pressure," he said. "I think that’s why you play the game of hockey. A lot of people are going to expect certain things, but you just have to be mentally tough and listen to the right people trying to help you. I’m really exited to get things going over here."