Although the Montreal Canadiens are performing well this season, currently ranking third in the NHL, some players, including Joe Veleno, are not meeting expectations.
According to
Pierre McGuire, “He's a centerman. He's not a winger”Veleno struggles with playing on the wing, which affects his overall game. He has yet to record points in nine games, with seven shots and a -3 rating.
During a recent game, Veleno was only successful in one of four face-offs (25%), showing limited effectiveness. In comparison, Jake Evans achieved a 58.3% success rate (7 out of 12) in face-offs against the Devils.
There is limited space for Veleno at the center position on the team, which complicates his utilization despite the coaching strategy of having centers on different sides of the fourth line.
Veleno struggles with adapting to playing on the wing due to limited offensive production and team positioning, highlighting the need for optimal role assignment to maximize his contribution.