Joe Veleno circles the Chicago Blackhawks with revenge on his mind
PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
December 17, 2025 (4:40 PM)
Joe Veleno and the Montreal Canadiens finally cross paths with the Chicago Blackhawks, a revenge game months in the making after a scratch, a trade, and a summer buyout reshaped his season.
Veleno waited longer than expected to get into Montreal's lineup, opening the season as a healthy scratch and missing the end of the Canadiens' first road trip, which wrapped up in Chicago on Oct. 11. That night stuck with him, especially given how quickly circumstances changed afterward.
Last season ended abruptly for Veleno after just 18 games with the Blackhawks following a March 7 trade from Detroit. Then came another jolt on June 21, when he was moved again, this time to Seattle, only to be bought out immediately. That buyout opened the door for the Kirkland native to sign with Montreal as a free agent on July 16, a chance he wasn't about to waste.
The Canadiens, in the middle of a four-game homestand, host Chicago Thursday at the Bell Centre. For Veleno, the opponent matters more than usual.
«It's more of a revenge game for me,» he told The Gazette after Wednesday's optional practice in Brossard. «I thought my time there, I was actually finding my game again. For the ice time I was given and what kind of role I was put in, I thought production-wise, it was pretty good.»
Joe Veleno and Montreal Canadiens seek edge vs. Blackhawks Thursday
That edge is something Montreal badly needs right now. After what head coach Martin St. Louis called the team's best effort of the season in a 4-1 win over Edmonton, the Canadiens couldn't back it up, dropping a 4-1 decision to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Defensive breakdowns returned, including two-on-one rushes against, and inconsistency crept in net. On the Flyers' third goal, rookie Jacob Fowler hesitated behind the net, lost the puck to Matvei Michkov, and watched Bobby Brink tap home an easy one.
«It's definitely a hard league to win in,» Veleno said. «It's 82 games and it's hard to repeat those (performances).»
He pointed to familiar mistakes but didn't sound discouraged, noting the Canadiens were steady defensively and simply needed more traffic and shots from the hard areas.
From a fan's perspective, this is the part of the season where patience wears thin, especially when effort swings wildly from game to game at home.
The grind isn't helping. With a condensed schedule because of February's Olympic break, Montreal is about to play three times in four days with little practice time. Injuries have followed, including defenseman Mike Matheson, who is day-to-day with an upper-body issue.
The Bell Centre has also flipped from strength to problem. Montreal is 9-3-3 on the road but just 8-9-1 at home, a sharp contrast from last season's 23-12-6 home record.
Assistant coach Stéphane Robidas pointed to disastrous second periods and momentum swings that punish every small mistake. Meanwhile, Chicago arrives struggling, riding a three-game losing streak and missing Connor Bedard, who still leads the Blackhawks with 19 goals and 44 points in 31 games.
For Veleno, the storyline is simpler.
«I was obviously very unhappy to be traded in the summer,» he said. «I want to put my best foot forward and show them what they missed out on.»
Thursday gives him that chance, cold ice and all.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
| POLL |
DECEMBRE 17 | 22 ANSWERS Joe Veleno circles the Chicago Blackhawks with revenge on his mind Will Joe Veleno's revenge game spark the Montreal Canadiens at home? |
| Yes it will | 6 | 27.3 % |
| No it wont | 16 | 72.7 % |
| List of polls |