Xavier Villeneuve

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.

Playing career In 2021–22, Villeneuve played with the Lac St-Louis Grenadiers M15 AAA team, scoring 23 points in 27 games played. The next year, he played in the U.S., joining the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U15 program, affiliated with the NHL team. 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. He was named the QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year for his performance. He was also named a third-team CHL All-Star. He returned to the Armada for the 2025–26 season and scored 36 points in the first 35 games.

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

International play

Villeneuve was selected to represent Canada at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. In seven games there, he recorded three assists. At age four, his father enrolled him in figure skating classes, which he disliked. 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." .