The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have time to develop players in the NHL. The time is now for winning, and they are looking to add anyone who will help them get there. While they could still change up their blueline with an offensively-minded player, one defender in their organization could draw the eyes of another Canadian team.
William Villeneuve has been identified as a potential target for the Edmonton Oilers.
Maple Leafs’ William Villeneuve Must Prove Himself
Villeneuve is a 23-year-old right-handed defender who was drafted 122nd overall in the 2020 Entry Draft. The 6-foot-2, 195 lb blueliner signed a one-year extension with the Maple Leafs on August 5th. His new two-way deal will pay him $775,000 with a $75,000 minors salary.
The new contract is a “show me” deal, signalling that Villeneuve could find himself playing elsewhere at any point this season or next. This is what Allan Mitchell of The Athletic has identified as a reason that the Oilers could acquire him by way of trade or waiver wire.
“Quality right-handed defencemen are something close to hockey unicorns,” Mitchell wrote on August 11th. “William Villeneuve of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been an effective AHL player for the past three seasons but appears to be on the outside looking in this fall. He is no lock to flourish at the highest level.”
“He did sign a one-year deal earlier this month, but is blocked on the Toronto roster. Opportunity is knocking for another NHL team.”
In late June, another writer for The Athletic, Josh Kloke, took a look at the Maple Leafs’ 2020 draft class. He gave his assessment of where things stand between the Maple Leafs and Villeneuve.
“The pending RFA has had three seasons of steady production with the Marlies, with some improvement in his breakouts and offence creation,” Kloke wrote. “Yet he hasn’t made himself impossible to ignore. With an NHL chance looking unlikely next season, a qualifying offer isn’t a given.”
Villeneuve was among six in the Auston Matthews-led Maple Leafs organization who were given a qualifying offer. Dennis Hildeby, Roni Hirvonen, Matthew Knies, Topi Niemela, and Nick Robertson were the other players qualified. Since then, Knies and Robertson are the only two to have agreed to an extension.
Can the Maple Leafs Facilitate a Beneficial Trade With the Oilers?
If the Oilers want more right-handed defensive depth for their AHL team, what does a trade look like for the Maple Leafs?
Mitchell of The Athletic suggested five players that the organization could trade at any point in the upcoming season: Stuart Skinner, Matt Savoie, Vasily Podkolzin, Beau Akey, and Maxim Berezkin.
Skinner doesn’t make sense as a target for the Maple Leafs, as their net is solidified with Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz. Savoie also doesn’t make sense. The young Oilers winger is still looking to prove himself, and the Maple Leafs need proven talent in the NHL.
Podkolzin’s physicality and youth would be an intriguing combination. He led the Oilers with 211 hits in 2024-25, 25th-most in the NHL. Simon Benoit (204), Steven Lorentz (199), and Knies (182) were the top three hitters for the Maple Leafs last year. Adding Podkolzin without subtracting a roster player would be a worthwhile gamble.
Akey and Berezkin are prospects looking to leave their mark. Berezkin is still without an NHL contract, having just won the KHL Championship this past season. Akey is an offensively-minded right-handed blueliner and is one of the top Oilers prospects.
To ensure the Maple Leafs don’t lose Villeneuve for nothing, they could explore a deal with the Oilers and acquire something in return that would enhance their physical presence or provide a more suitable prospect for their organization.
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