Joe Veleno’s Journey Through a Tumultuous Two Years

Joe Veleno’s last couple of seasons have been nothing short of chaotic.

He was traded twice—first from Detroit to Chicago and then to Seattle. Eventually, he found himself on unconditional waivers with the Kraken.

After that, he signed his initial unrestricted free agent contract with the Canadiens, where he finally got a taste of playoff hockey last season.

Despite his efforts, the Canadiens chose not to extend him a qualifying offer, which meant he entered the market as a free agent for the second consecutive summer.

“It’s been a little difficult, for sure,” Veleno shared with The Post ahead of his first preseason game with the Rangers against the Devils. “It’s not always easy, but, you know, you try to learn from those mistakes and avoid repeating them as best as you can. You look for ways to improve and, well, get better. I think I did a decent job of that last year; I started to carve out more of an identity for myself. It’s all about pushing forward this year.”

After signing a one-year deal worth $1.2 million with the Rangers during the offseason, Veleno is eager to make his mark with a fresh team, following five years in Detroit.

The 26-year-old has been slotted into the fourth-line center position since joining the Rangers. During practice on Thursday, he skated alongside Tye Kartye and Matt Rempe, a combination that could very well make up the Rangers’ fourth line come Opening Night in Boston later this month.

Veleno expressed his desire to be solid defensively, contributing both on the penalty kill and in faceoff situations. He also noted that increasing his offensive output is something he aims to focus on this season.

“He will certainly be a crucial part of the penalty kill,” head coach Mike Sullivan remarked about Veleno, who registered five points (two goals and three assists) in 61 games last season. “He’s shown that he can handle defensive responsibilities, so we can rely on him against other teams’ top players if necessary. His size and skating ability really stand out. Being able to skate well is a significant asset for a defensive player; if you get beat, having the capacity to recover quickly is vital.”

“I believe Joe has those qualities. Facing off against skilled players, there are times you might get outplayed; it happens. But his size and skating ability, along with reach, give him an edge in that kind of role.”

In another development, goalie Joonas Korpisalo was designated to play the entirety of the second-to-last exhibition game at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, while rookie Dylan Garand was named as the backup.

The Rangers trimmed their training camp roster by cutting five players before the game. Jacob Battaglia, Brody Lamb, Dylan Roobroeck, Spencer Martin, and Callum Tung were sent to the Wolf Pack.