The Montreal Canadiens are making headlines once again as they dive into another high-stakes pursuit, this time targeting a 25-year-old centerman who has quickly become one of the most talked-about names on the market. With a week already full of bold moves, General Manager Kent Hughes appears determined to keep fans on the edge of their seats, submitting a formal offer that has set off a fierce competition among some of the NHL’s top contenders.

As the race heats up, sources confirm that the Canadiens are now in a three-way battle with the Vegas Golden Knights and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers for the services of Joe Veleno. The hockey world is buzzing with speculation, and every new update adds another layer of intrigue to a story that could have major implications for Montreal’s future.

With Veleno’s recent buyout and a fresh start on the horizon, the question isn’t just where he’ll land—but what his next chapter could mean for a Canadiens roster hungry for depth and fresh energy. As rumors swirl and the clock ticks down, all eyes are on Montreal to see if they can pull off another headline-grabbing move.

Photo credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

Kent Hughes clearly hasn’t finished shopping during what has already been a busy week for the Montreal Canadiens.

As exclusively reported earlier by the excellent Marc-Olivier Beaudoin, Kent Hughes has submitted a formal offer to acquire 25-year-old centerman Joe Veleno.

This morning, there are new updates on the situation.

We have three teams in the race to acquire Joe Veleno

The Montreal Canadiens are indeed one of the finalists, joined by the Vegas Golden Knights and the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.

“The offer was submitted by the Habs, but other teams – including the Golden Knights and the Panthers – are interested in Veleno’s services. It’s likely going to come down to those three teams.”

– MOB

This will be a situation to watch closely over the next few hours for Habs fans.

At 25 years old, Joe Veleno recorded 17 points in 74 games this season with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks.

He was earning $2.275 million per year through 2026, but that contract has just been bought out.

Veleno was the 30th overall pick (1st round) in the 2018 draft and had just been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Seattle Kraken in the Andre Burakovsky deal, before his contract was bought out.

Would you like to see the Montreal Canadiens sign Joe Veleno for one season at $1 million per year?

He could help fill the void left by Christian Dvorak – at a much cheaper price.

More details to come.

As we reported earlier this week, Valeno was seen skating with Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov in Brossard – Could it mean something?