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The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Pierre Engvall, Travis Dermott and Justin Holl, but the next step for the club under GM Kyle Dubas is to keep replenishing the prospect pool to provide the Leafs with youngsters who can step up and replace veterans who retire, depart via free agency or are traded.
As we did last year, we will rank the club’s top prospects over the next few weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe, ECHL or AHL and their potential to make the Leafs roster and make a contribution in the future.
Players are eligible for the list if they have not played more than 40 NHL games:
#40 - Jeremy McKenna – RW (Wichita – ECHL, Toronto – AHL) #39 – Ryan Tverberg – C (Connecticut – NCAA) #38 – Ryan O’Connell – D (Ohio State – NCAA) #37 - Semyon Kizimov – RW (Lada Togliatti – VHL / Torpedo – KHL) #36 - Wyatt Schingoethe – C (Waterloo – USHL) #35 - Kalle Loponen – D (Karpat – Finland SM-Liiga) #34 - Vladislav Kara – LW (Cherepovets Severstal/Moscow Spartak – KHL) #33 - Kirill Semyonov – C (Avangard Omsk – KHL)
#32 - William Villeneuve – D (Saint John – QMJHL)
The Toronto Maple Leafs had a dozen picks in the 2020 NHL Draft and chose primarily to select players either bound for four years in the NCAA or a longer development track in Europe. The Leafs selected only one player from the CHL and that was defenseman William Villeneuve.
The Sherbrooke, Quebec native was selected in the fourth round (122nd overall), but Leafs Director of Amateur Scouting John Lilley admitted that in spite of the impressive numbers that Villeneuve posted in the QMJHL in his draft year, the 19-year-old is a bit of a project.
After being selected second overall in the 2018 QMJHL Draft, the young right-hander played for Saint John as a 16-year-old and had a difficult time adjusting to junior hockey, going -52 in his rookie season. Things were much better for Villeneuve in his sophomore campaign, ) as he led the QMJHL in defensive scoring with 58 points (9 goals, 49 assists) in 64 games and was nominated for the league’s top blueliner of the year.
🔥GOAL🔥
— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) November 11, 2020
Lawrence picks a pocket and deals to Villeneuve who makes (I'll say it) the PERFECT pass to Burns who finishes in style! 3-1 with eight minutes to play in the second. pic.twitter.com/J20RFrvuec
Last season, Villeneuve got some game experience with the QMJHL playing a partial schedule, with 20 points (3 goals, 17 assists ) in 33 games for the Sea Dogs and played two games for the AHL Toronto Marlies on an amateur tryout.
There appears to be no consensus on Villeneuve’s potential. Elite Prospects failed to rank him even at the bottom of their prospect list over players with admittedly flawed skill sets, while others believe the Leafs made a steal with their second pick in the fourth round.
The 6’1…, 180 lb. defenseman has decent skills, but it is uncertain whether he can rise to the level of being an effective NHL offensive defenseman. Villeneuve has good creativity, is a excellent passer and elusiveness, but an average shot from the point.
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Lot’s of â¤ï¸ for the 💙ðŸ¤
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) April 26, 2021
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