TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — The full array of caveats applies. It’s a September tournament featuring all levels of prospects and plenty of free-agent invitees. He’s playing on a line between two wingers who spent time in the NHL last season. It’s been just two games. All of that is true.



At the same time, Joe Veleno has four goals in two games to lead the NHL Prospect Tournament. Not one of them has been cheap, and especially for a player whose primary question has been whether his offensive abilities are dynamic enough to translate to the NHL, Veleno’s first two games this weekend have been what you’d draw up for a prospect beginning a push this month for the Red Wings’ roster.



His first goal came on an instinctive play on which he stole a puck in the slot and deked Chicago’s goalie. It was probably the purest “goal-scorer’s goal” of them all. But the next three were arguably more significant because they...