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Joe Veleno says he had no offer from the Canadiens on July 1

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 10:30 AM ET

Yesterday, the Canadiens announced that Joe Veleno had been contracted for the 2025-2026 season. He’ll earn around $900,000, so it’s not a huge risk.

It’s not like when the Habs got hold of Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook: it’s not necessarily a project for the Canadiens’ management. He’s a player who’s coming to town to add depth at center (on the bottom-6) among the guys who shoot from the left.

And he’s also a former client of Kent Hughes at Quartexx.

Kent Hughes when he sees a Quartexx client without an NHL contract

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– /r/Habs(@habsonreddit.bsky.social) July 16, 2025 at 8:22 PM

We know that Veleno’s name had been floating around town since the free agent market opened. On July 1, there were rumours that he had an offer on the table from the Canadiens.

But according to the principal interested party, this was not the case.

He said so yesterday in response to a question on the subject from Tony Marinaro (Sick Podcast), who detailed the chronology of events as he put a question to the new member of the Canadiens, who confirmed his information. So it wasn’t the player who brought the subject up.

And the former Red Wings and Blackhawks player said that on July 1, he had no offer from the Canadiens. There were discussions, however.

Veleno also mentions that there was a time when negotiations stopped with the Habs. But they resumed in the last few days and an offer was finally tabled.

Other teams were also in the running for the man who should keep number 90 in Montreal.

Not everyone in the organization was convinced that Veleno was the right player, but the Québécois is now under contract with the Habs. Will he prove those who believed in him right?

To be seen in the coming months.