[Editor’s note: In January, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler dove into the life of Joe Veleno and his path to the NHL Draft. On Friday, he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings with the No. 30 overall pick so we’re running it back for our readers in Detroit.]



For the better part of 25 years, Jon Goyens has been coaching and developing top-flight NHL players and prospects in the Montreal area.



As head coach of the Lac St. Louis Lions’ Midget Triple-A team, he and his colleagues have developed the likes of Jonathan Drouin, Alex Biega, Louis Domingue, Anthony Duclair, Michael Chaput, Louis Leblanc, Maxime Fortier, Alex Kilorn, Michael Matheson, Mark Barberio and others.



But one kid he coached was unlike the rest. His name was Joseph Veleno and by the time he was 12 years old he was already practising with some of Quebec’s top 15 and 16 year olds.



By the time he was 14, he was a staple on Goyens’ team, outscoring elders...