Canadiens Star Joe Veleno Revisits Childhood School During NHL Pause
Montreal Canadiens forward Joe Veleno made an emotional return to his educational beginnings this week, visiting East Hill Elementary School in Rivière-des-Prairies where he attended from kindergarten through Grade 6. The NHL's Olympic break provided the perfect opportunity for the 26-year-old hockey professional to reconnect with his roots and inspire the next generation of students.
A Heartwarming Reunion with Former Classmate
During his Monday visit, Veleno reunited with Kristina Provost, who was his classmate throughout elementary school and now teaches Grade 4 at the same institution. "It's very exciting because I remember back in elementary school he was very into hockey," Provost shared. "He was like the hockey guy. And now he plays for our city's team, which is very cool."
Provost revealed that her students had been discussing Veleno's Canadiens career since the beginning of the school year, with many declaring him their favorite player. She had even sent him a letter inviting him to visit, making his appearance particularly meaningful for the excited youngsters.
NHL Break Provides Perfect Timing
The Olympic break in the NHL schedule created an ideal window for Veleno's community engagement. After spending the previous week relaxing in the Caribbean with friends and teammate Jakub Dobes, the forward embraced the chance to give back to his childhood community. "We had time to relax and have some fun and take a little bit of time and rest our minds a little bit and our bodies from all the hockey we've been playing recently," Veleno explained regarding the break.
He emphasized the importance of mental recovery during the demanding 82-game NHL season, noting how the condensed schedule requires players to compete through various physical challenges. The Canadiens players not participating in the Olympics will resume practice on Tuesday at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, with their next game scheduled for February 26 against the New York Islanders at Bell Centre.
Memories Come Flooding Back
As Veleno drove to Montreal's East End, childhood memories resurfaced, particularly the steep hill leading to East Hill Elementary School. "I haven't been here in a while, but driving up the hill, coming up to the school, it brings back a lot of memories ... seeing some familiar faces, teachers," he reflected. "It always feels good to come back to where it all started. It feels special."
The forward's family originally lived on Lorenzo-Prince Avenue in Rivière-des-Prairies, where his hockey talent became evident early. Rated as Quebec's top peewee player by the Journal de Montréal, Veleno's parents made the significant decision to move the family to Kirkland after Grade 6 so he could join the prestigious Lac St. Louis minor hockey organization.
From Exceptional Status to NHL Professional
Veleno's hockey journey took several notable turns:
- Attended St. Thomas High School in Pointe-Claire for Grades 7-9
- Became the first and only Quebecer granted exceptional player status to join major-junior hockey at age 15
- Selected first overall by the Saint John Sea Dogs in the 2015 QMJHL draft
- Finished junior career with the Drummondville Voltigeurs
- Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round (30th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft
Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes, who has known Veleno since age 14 and helped secure his exceptional-player status as his agent, brought the forward back to Montreal last summer as a free agent. In 49 games this season playing a checking role, Veleno has recorded 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points.
Inspiring the Next Generation
During his school visit, Veleno recalled that his favorite elementary school class was gym, where he remembers playing knee hockey during lunch breaks. When he asked current students if the game still existed, they confirmed it does, prompting Veleno to joke, "I might have created that game, just letting you guys know."
The Canadiens forward, who resembled his childhood favorite player Max Pacioretty, offered heartfelt advice to the students: "I wish I could go back and be a kid sometimes. Just have fun, listen to your teachers, your parents. They'll only steer you in the right direction and give you good advice."
Veleno expressed deep gratitude for his community roots, stating, "It's an honour and super-grateful to be able to come back here and to play for the Montreal Canadiens has always been a dream. Without the help of the community and the school and the friends that I made and the relationships that I built, it wouldn't be possible and this moment wouldn't be as special. I hope one of you guys can maybe live that dream one day. Listen to your teachers, be a good student, and a lot of good things can happen."
The visit concluded with students presenting Veleno with drawings they had created for him, capping off a memorable day that connected Montreal's NHL present with its community past.
