Joe Veleno had Martin St-Louis' summer group doing a double take in Brossard on Tuesday.
That is because Veleno, now a New York Rangers forward, was spotted skating at the CN Complex in full Montreal Canadiens gear.
It was not some quiet side session either. He jumped into the work with the group and went through the drills like he was still part of the organization.
That is what made the scene pop. Players from the Canadiens showing up in Brossard during the summer is normal. Seeing Veleno in the middle of it, wearing Tricolore colors after his move to the Rangers, is not.
And that is why people around the rink started talking right away. A player from a division rival training with Montreal is one thing. Doing it in Canadiens equipment is another.
There is a light side to it, too. Somebody in Brossard clearly made sure Veleno was not left standing there in a blank practice jersey, and that says plenty about how relaxed these offseason skates can get.
Still, the image lands because fans are wired to read into everything this time of year. A Rangers forward on Montreal ice, in Montreal colors, is always going to stir a reaction.
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Rangers forward fuels speculation after wearing Canadiens colors in Montreal
What this really shows is how attractive the Canadiens' summer environment has become. When outside players are comfortable jumping into the group and using the club's setup, that reflects well on the people running those sessions.
Adam Nicholas' work around skill development has already become part of that pull, and the list of young Canadiens already spotted in Brossard only adds to it. This is a real hockey hub for the organization now.
Kent Hughes also deserves a piece of that read. Montreal's front office and coaching staff have built a setting where players want ice time there, even when they do not belong to the club anymore.
None of this means there is tension with the Rangers or that anyone is upset. Summer skates are often loose, practical, and built around convenience more than optics.
But optics still matter, and this one was too funny to ignore. Veleno did not look like an outsider dropping in for a quick lap. He looked fully folded into the group.
That is the part fans will remember. Not a controversy, not a hidden message, just a strange little offseason snapshot that got everybody looking twice.
For Montreal, it is another sign that the Brossard circle keeps getting bigger. For Veleno, it was a new-team player wearing old-team colors in the most public way possible.
Was it strange to see Joe Veleno skating in Canadiens gear?
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