VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 31: Joe Veleno #9 of Canada skates with the puck against Russia in Group A hockey action of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship on December, 31, 2018 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
After finishing up his Swedish Hockey league season with the Malmo Redhawks, Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno is heading back to North America to play with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Veleno had a solid season in the SHL, averaging .43 points per game (11 goals, 9 assists). While he hasn’t had quite the leap forward that Moritz Seider and Jonattan Berggren have had in Sweden, he’s continued to develop as a two-way center, improving his defensive skillset and playmaking abilities (go check out IceHockeyGifs fantastic highlights of his time in the SHL).