Xavier Villeneuve

Xavier Villeneuve
Born (2007-09-29) September 29, 2007
Les Cèdres, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 157 lb (71 kg; 11 st 3 lb)
Position Defenceman
Shoots Left
QMJHL team Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
NHL draft Eligible 2026

Xavier Villeneuve (born September 29, 2007) is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2026 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

In 2021–22, Villeneuve played with the Lac St-Louis Grenadiers M15 AAA team, scoring 23 points in 27 games played.[1] The next year, he played in the U.S., joining the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U15 program, affiliated with the NHL team.[1] Appearing in 48 games, he posted five goals and 18 assists for 23 points.[1] After the season, he was selected in the first round of the 2023 Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) draft by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.[2] During the 2023–24 season with the Armada, Villeneuve appeared in 54 games, posting eight goals and 43 points which led all rookie defencemen in the league.[3] He was named the QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year for his performance.[3]

In 2024–25, Villeneuve posted 12 goals and 50 assists in 61 games and was named the Emile Bouchard Trophy winner as the league's best defenceman.[4] He was also named a third-team CHL All-Star.[5] He returned to the Armada for the 2025–26 season and scored 36 points in the first 35 games.[6]

Villeneuve is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2026 NHL entry draft.[7][8] In October 2025, he received an "A" rating from the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, indicating his status as a first-round prospect.[9]

International play

Villeneuve was selected to represent Canada at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.[10] In seven games there, he recorded three assists.[1] He also participated for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World U18 Championships, posting four goals and four assists in eight games while winning the championship.[1]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2023–24 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada QMJHL 54 8 35 43 26 7 1 4 5 0
2024–25 Blainville-Boisbriand Armada QMJHL 61 12 50 62 24 5 0 4 4 0
QMJHL totals 115 20 85 105 50 12 1 8 9 0

Personal life

Villeneuve was born on September 29, 2007, in Les Cèdres, Quebec.[11] At age four, his father enrolled him in figure skating classes, which he disliked.[12] He said that, at first, "I was on the ice and I was crying and screaming. I really didn't love it," but after trying out ice hockey soon after, "I started to love it. He couldn't get me off the ice."[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Xavier Villeneuve". EliteProspects.com.
  2. ^ Filion, Mikaël (April 4, 2024). "« Il fait ça à 16 ans? »" [“He does this at 16? »] (in French). Réseau des sports.
  3. ^ a b Kirshenblatt, Adam (November 20, 2025). "Offensively charged Villeneuve looks to make big impact at CHL USA Prospects Challenge". The Sports Network.
  4. ^ Titus, Jacob (June 6, 2025). "Projected 2026 NHL First Round Pick Villeneuve Wins QMJHL Defenseman Of The Year". The Hockey News.
  5. ^ Séguin, Christopher (June 20, 2025). "CHL Announces 2024-25 All-Star and All-Rookie Teams presented by CCM". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  6. ^ Rioux, Benoît (January 20, 2026). "Xavier Villeneuve: une peur qui ne l'empêche pas d'aller dans le coin" [Xavier Villeneuve: A fear that doesn't stop him from going into the corners]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French).
  7. ^ Kimelman, Adam (December 4, 2025). "2026 NHL Draft: Villeneuve modeling game after Canadiens' Hutson". National Hockey League.
  8. ^ Rioux, Benoît (January 20, 2026). "Quand Lane Hutson et le meilleur espoir québécois, Xavier Villeneuve, se rencontrent" [When Lane Hutson and top Quebec prospect Xavier Villeneuve meet]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French).
  9. ^ Gaudreau, Jérôme (October 20, 2025). "Xavier Villeneuve et le seuil psychologique des six pieds" [Xavier Villeneuve and the Psychological Threshold of Six Feet]. Le Droit (in French).
  10. ^ Therriault, Olivier (October 24, 2023). "Équipe Canada : le Rimouskois Xavier Villeneuve sélectionné" [Team Canada: Rimouski's Xavier Villeneuve Selected]. Journal Le Soir (in French).
  11. ^ "Xavier Villeneuve". hockeydb.com.
  12. ^ a b Koreen, Mike (October 9, 2025). "Prospects Report: Armada's Xavier Villeneuve drawing Lane Hutson comparisons". Sportsnet.
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