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Joe Veleno: a better face-off option than Alex Newhook
Michaël Petit
Joe Veleno: a better face-off option than Alex Newhook
Credit: Since the departure of Christian Dvorak, the Montreal Canadiens have had only one left-handed center: Alex Newhook. And as we all know, he’s not the most efficient in the face-off circle. In the 2024-25 season, he had a percentage of just 42.8% on 558 attempts. In his career, this figure has dropped to 41.8%… It’s […]
Since the departure of Christian Dvorak, the Montreal Canadiens have had only one left-handed center: Alex Newhook.

And as we all know, he’s not the most efficient in the face-off circle.

In the 2024-25 season, he had a percentage of just 42.8% on 558 attempts.

In his career, this figure has dropped to 41.8%…

It’s always good to have an effective left-handed center option when face-offs are on the left side in the defensive zone. The linesman who puts the puck in play is on the left side, giving the defensive center more room to maneuver.

It’s not a big detail, you may say, but at the professional level, it makes a difference.

Dvorak, who has a career efficiency of 53.1%, was in charge of these face-offs, but that figure was 55.8% last season.

Recently, we learned that the Habs are among the three finalists to sign left-handed Montreal center Joe Veleno.

If the Habs can add Veleno to their roster, he’ll certainly be able to help in these situations, without completely replacing Christian Dvorake t his effectiveness.

Nicolas Cloutier of TVA Sports has written an article on the subject.

Veleno’s career face-off percentage is 46.5%, which doesn’t put him among the elite, but is certainly better than Newhook.

Adding him to the lineup (especially since he wouldn’t cost much in terms of annual salary) would give Martin St-Louis more room to maneuver.

The center line could look something like this: Nick Suzuki – Kirby Dach/Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Joe Veleno.

When a left-handed center is needed in certain situations, he’ll have the chance to send Veleno. And if not, Newhook can always be there as a backup.

St-Louis can’t always rely on Suzuki to take face-offs, and the Habs’ opponents will know that the Montreal club has a weakness for left-handed centers.

In the captain’s last two seasons, he has averaged 52.1% in the face-off circle.

But even with Veleno in the line-up, the Habs’ two best options at this level are two right-handers (Suzuki and Evans). Kirby Dach has only 36.1% career efficiency and Newhook isn’t much better. At least Evans and Suzuki are the only ones with a percentage of over 50%.

Could Florian Xhekaj be another option? According to this article in The Hockey News, with the Laval Rocket (as of February 8, 2025), he posted an efficiency of 44%, which isn’t bad for a 21-year-old. That can always improve with experience (and maybe a few tricks from a face-off expert like Manny Malhotra).


Overtime

– Bowen Byram and Jack McBain can’t sign a hostile offer sheet this summer.

– In this text, we learn from Curtis Hamilton, assistant general manager of the Laval Rocket, that Hayden Paupanekis has much more potential than a 4th line center.

– Read more.

– Good news for Blue Jays players.

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