Équipe: 2022-23 Maple Leafs de Toronto

Date de création initiale: 24 août 2022

Publié: 24 août 2022

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

William Villeneuve is a 20 years old and right-shot defenceman whose prospect value has been rising fast over the last year after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL draft and is a Leafs prospect that all hockey fans should keep their eye's on for the 2022-2023 season.

Kyle Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs may have hit another home run when they drafted the 6-foot-2 and 180 pound right hand shot defenceman in the fourth round and 122nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft after he registered 58 points in 64 games in only his second junior season playing for the Saint John Sea Dogs and leading all defenceman in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in points and assists.

Kyle Dubas and the Leafs made a wise move to sign him to a three year entry-level contract after being drafted and he recently scored 8 goals and 46 assists for 56 points during the 2021-2022 season and helped lead his Saint John Sea Dogs to win the recent Memorial Cup.

He has the potential to help the Leafs on defence in the future after some stellar seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The best way to obtain a high quality defenceman in the NHL is to draft and develope the player and the Leafs under Dubas are brilliantly following this strategy with Liljegren, Sandin, Niemela and now Villeneuve.

Villeneuve is a smart two way defenceman with good size and strong offensive instincts who has worked to round out his game since being drafted by the Leafs when he was considered more of a high-risk, high-reward offence-focussed defenceman and his future upper ceiling will be determined by how well he adjusts to the pace of professional hockey. He is expected to be playing for the Toronto Marlies in the AHL for the 2022-2023 season and continuing to work with the Leafs professional development staff which is considered one of the best in the entire National Hockey League to improve and refine his hockey skills.

At 6'2, 180 pounds, the Maple Leafs want to see Villeneuve add size as he gets ready to take on professional hockey players and the key to his development will be how he responds in defensive situations against skilled players in the AHL, which is considered the best development league in the world.

His knowledge of where to be on the ice at all times is a massive plus for him and his ability to join the rush is a huge asset to his team. He is a right-shot defenceman that can grow with the team and is a prospect that all hockey fans should be keeping a keen eye on for the 2022-2023 season as he is developing into a great defenceman and home run for the Maple Leafs.