The Quebec Major junior Hockey League officially announced the trade earlier this afternoon. The deal, which has been all-but confirmed for a couple weeks now, ended up being what was originally reported.
Here is what the Saint John Sea Dogs are receiving in return:
- 2018 1st round pick (previously acquired from the Gatineau Olympiques)
- 2019 1st round pick (previously acquired from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
- 2020 1st round pick
- 2018 2nd round pick (previously acquired from the Quebec Remparts)
- 2020 2nd round pick (conditional)
According to a source, the 2020 2nd round pick will be returned to Drummondville in exchange for a 2019 2nd round pick. The issue is that the Voltigeurs currently do not have a 2019 2nd rounder. If Drummondville is unable to acquire one, Saint John will keep the 2020 2nd round pick and the Volts will send an additional 2020 3rd round pick.
Veleno has been sitting out of the Sea Dogs' lineup since the deal was reported. The first exceptional status player in QMJHL history finishes his Saint John career with 32 goals and 82 points in 138 career games. He added another 14 goals and four assists in 35 playoff games.
While Veleno never exploded offensively like many thought he would, he showed plenty of signs of "exceptional" skill. He never quite fit into Saint John's cycle, and it'll be interesting to see how he performs as a top player on a top team.
Veleno is projected to be a high pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, but is likely to be back in the QMJHL for the 2018-19 season.
This is definitely one of the biggest deals in franchise history, and is similar to the Alex Grant and Chris DiDomenico deals made in 2008-09. Many of the banners hanging inside Harbour Station can be traced back to those deals, and the Dogs are no doubt hoping this deal leads to similar accomplishments.
This is just day two of the QMJHL's trading period and the Sea Dogs will likely continue be active over the next couple weeks.
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