- Toronto re-signed defenseman William Villeneuve to a two-year contract
- Villeneuve piled up 23 points in 24 games during the Marlies’ Calder Cup run
- Read below for what the deal means for his shot at the NHL roster
The Maple Leafs kept one of their most productive minor-leaguers in the fold.
Toronto re-signed defenseman William Villeneuve to a two-year contract on Tuesday, part of a batch of deals that also brought back forwards Ryan Tverberg and Jacob Quillan. The team announced all three at once:
Villeneuve, 24, has been a fixture on the Marlies blue line since 2022. The Leafs drafted him 122nd overall in 2020 out of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, and he has spent the last four seasons growing into one of the AHL club’s steadiest defensemen.
His breakout came in 2024-25. Villeneuve put up four goals and 40 points in 55 games with a plus-17 rating, good enough to earn his first NHL call-up. He played three games for Toronto and went scoreless.
The counting numbers dipped a bit in 2025-26, when he had three goals and 30 points in 61 games. Then the playoffs hit and he took off.
That run included two goals and 23 points in 24 games as the Marlies won the Calder Cup. He finished just three points behind teammate Vinni Lettieri for the postseason scoring lead among every player in the field.
A roster spot in Toronto is another matter. The Leafs added Emil Andrae and re-signed Troy Stecher this summer, so Villeneuve likely opens 2026-27 back with the Marlies. It has been a busy stretch for the club, which also hired Daniel Alfredsson as an assistant coach this month. If injuries pile up on the back end, though, he has earned the first call.
