Maple Leafs sign defenceman William Villeneuve to 1-year contract extension

The terms of the new deal have yet to be disclosed. Villeneuve was coming off his three-year, entry-level contract that he signed with the Maple Leafs in September 2021, when Kyle Dubas was the organization’s general manager. That contract had an NHL AAV of $817,778, with a minor-league salary of $80,000.

Villeneuve has spent the past three seasons of his professional career solely with the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate. He has steadily progressed into being an effective two-way blueliner with the Marlies.

After back-to-back 25-point seasons, the Sherbrooke, Quebec native had a career year in 2024-25. In 55 games, he scored four goals and 36 assists for 40 points, while posting a solid plus/minus rating of +17. He led all Marlies defenders in scoring, finishing tied for 14th in the AHL in points among rearguards.

Villeneuve also notched a couple of assists in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Ultimately, the Marlies were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets’ primary affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, in a best-of-three series.

Across four seasons in Toronto, which included a two-game stint with the Marlies in 2021, the 23-year-old has appeared in 165 regular-season contests, scoring nine goals and 81 assists for 90 points. He has a career rating of +28 while amassing 117 penalty minutes.

Villeneuve was initially taken in the fourth round, 122nd overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Prior to turning pro full-time, Villeneuve had a successful junior career with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Across four seasons with the Sea Dogs, he was named a Second Team All-Star twice, leading all defenders in scoring, with 58 points, during the 2019-20 season. In 2021-22, he was an alternate captain on the Saint John team that won the franchise’s third league championship and second Memorial Cup.