The NHL receives a warning after a strong offseason addition by the Montreal Canadiens: "Watch out"
Photo credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images
The NHL received a warning after a strong offseason addition by the Montreal Canadiens, as a former Hawks player could cause a massive surprise in the next season.
The Montreal Canadiens will be among the most interesting teams to follow this season for many reasons.
The first line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky will keep growing after emerging as one of the best top lines in the NHL; Lane Hutson will return for his second season in the NHL after winning the Calder Trophy last season; Ivan Demidov will play his rookie season and is considered the top contender for the Calder; Noah Dobson will start the next chapter of his career following a promising start with the Islanders; and a few more players will look to make the most out of the opportunity to play with the Canadiens as they enter the final year of their contracts.
According to a new statement from Jeff Marek, a former Blackhawks player currently in Montreal could be a massive game-changer if he were to reach his full potential.
NHL Teams Will Need To Watch Out If Joe Veleno Reaches His Full Potential In Montreal
Two former members of the Chicago Blackhawks will enter a crucial year in Montreal this season: Kirby Dach and Joe Veleno.
Dach is set to enter free agency next summer and, following a disappointing journey with the Habs so far due to several injuries, appears ready for a great year.
However, the biggest surprise could be Joe Veleno.
The 25-year-old forward, who had exceptional player status in his junior career, has had a strong training camp and is likely to start the season in the lineup.
He had a tough start to his NHL career. The Detroit Red Wings' first-round pick in 2018 couldn't establish himself as a full-time NHLer in five years with the Wings and was eventually traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he took part in 18 games at the end of last season.
He was later traded to the Seattle Kraken for , and the team bought out his $2.275M AAV contract.
The Montreal Canadiens signed him to a one-year deal valued at $900K, and if he were to reach his full potential, this could turn out to be a massive bargain.
Veleno thinks his experience helps him with the Canadiens. He showed great maturity and leadership when he discussed where he's at in his career in a recent interview:
I think experience is probably the biggest thing, you're going to need to learn certain things, in terms of details, knowing where you're going to be, knowing guys' tendencies, who you're playing against and who you're playing with. It comes naturally once you get this many games under your belt, so I've really grown from my experiences."
Several players were able to revive their careers under head coach Martin St-Louis, and Veleno could be the next.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 5 | 228 ANSWERS The NHL receives a warning after a strong offseason addition by the Montreal Canadiens: "Watch out" Do you think Joe Veleno will have a breakout season this year with the Montreal Canadiens? | ||
| Yes | 132 | 57.9 % |
| No | 96 | 42.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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