When the Detroit Red Wings arrived at the podium with the 30th pick in the NHL draft, I started to scan through all of the defensive draft prospects. I was expecting the organization to select Mattias Samuelsson. Instead, they announced Joeseph Veleno.
At the time I was thrilled with the selection because he seemed like a bargain at 30, yet I wondered why he fell. He was expected to be selected around 15, like Zadina, Ken Holland couldn’t resist taking him.
Although I was expecting a defender, the Detroit Red Wings had another pick three picks later so surely it would be addressed at that time–nope.