yahoo
Maybe Joe Veleno can request a mulligan from New York Rangers fans.
Because it appears he needs a second chance to make a good first impression after signing a one-year contract with the Rangers in free agency on July 1.
The 26-year-old, wholl earn $1.2 million next season likely to be the fourth-line center on Broadway, drew the ire of his new fanbase earlier this week.
Veleno took part in an offseason workout at the Montreal Canadiens practice facility in Brossard, Quebec, with several of his former Habs teammates.
That in of itself wasnt a big deal.
But a local Montreal reporter, Patrick Guillet, posted a video on X of Veleno taking part in the on-ice workout wearing his old Canadiens gear.
Surprise!! Joe Veleno etait lui aussi present a lentrainement en uniforme du Canadien, malgre la signature dun contrat dune saison avec les Rangers de New York le 1er juillet dernier.
@DLCoulisses #GoHabsGo #Veleno #NHL pic.twitter.com/5Omt1ua4f3 Patrick Guillet (@PatGuillet) July 6, 2026 Again, not an earth-shattering turn of events.
Perhaps the Rangers didnt provide him with any new gear yet.
But many Rangers fans took to social media to voice their displeasure with Veleno.
The grumbling grew louder Wednesday, after Guillet posted video of longtime Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher skating with his former teammates in Brossard, wearing a Vancouver Canucks practice jersey.
The Canadiens traded Gallagher to the Canucks last week.
This really makes Joe Veleno look bad.
#NYR Hes not even played a game yet and Rangers fans are not sure about him now.
( For people dont know he wore Montreal gear the other day instead of literally anything else.) https://t.co/co9edzJndY David (@DaveyUpper) July 8, 2026 Veleno is a Montreal native, so it makes plenty of sense for him to take ice time in the offseason with his former teammates in Brossard.
He recorded career lows with two goals, three assists, and five points in 61 games with the Canadiens last season, and had one assist in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games.
A former first-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 draft (No.
30 overall), Veleno recorded 20 or more points twice in five NHL seasons.
That includes his most productive season in 2023-24, when he established career highs with 12 goals and 28 points in 80 games with the Red Wings.
The Rangers are the fourth Original Six team for Veleno, who also played for the Choicago Blackhawks briefly in 2024-25 before spending one season with the Canadiens.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder replaces Sam Carrick in the middle of New Yorks fourth line, after the Rangers dealt Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the trade deadline last March.
Those are some pretty big skates to fill because not only was Carrick a heart-and-soul teammate and pesky veteran center, he was also a fan favorite.
Veleno was third on Montreal with 166 hits last season and should add equal doses of speed and energy to the Rangers lineup.
So, thats a plus.
However, it appears he must work on the fan favorite part.
Related Headlines Ex-captain on Rangers retool: honest assessment ..
then root like bastard Do Rangers have Miller-sized hole in middle after Trocheck trade? Why it was time for Rangers to trade Vincent Trocheck, not wait longer Trade Grades: Rangers send Will Borgen to Bruins for picks.