Xavier Villeneuve
Canadian ice hockey player (born 2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 was selected 34th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2026 NHL entry draft.
| Xavier Villeneuve | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
September 29, 2007 Les Cèdres, Quebec, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 162 lb (73 kg; 11 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| QMJHL team | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | ||
| NHL draft |
34th overall, 2026 Chicago Blackhawks | ||
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
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada | ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World U18 Championship | ||
 | 2025 United States | |
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
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] Xavier is the nephew of Steve Maltais[13].