Toronto Maple Leafs

William Villeneuve and the Maple Leafs: Does He Actually Fit?

William Villeneuve had a monster season with the Marlies. Now the Leafs have a decision to make—and waivers could make it a tough one.

by
Old Prof
August 10, 2026

Toronto Maple Leafs fans who hope to see prospects rise through the organization will always have that one name they keep circling. For me right now, it’s William Villeneuve. I want to see the big club give him a chance to show whether he’s ready for the NHL. I have a feeling that he could sneak up on people. He’s someone who could’ve grabbed a roster spot if things broke his way.

But when you take a closer look at the Maple Leafs’ blue line right now, it’s hard to pretend the path is wide open. It might be there. But, at the same time, it might also be wishful thinking on my part.

The Maple Leafs Have Two New Blueliners

Here’s the big thing: the Maple Leafs might be loaded with defenders this season. They brought in Emil Andrae and Darren Raddysh, which basically changes the whole pecking order. So even if Villeneuve is legitimately good, does it become a numbers-and-roles problem, not just a talent problem?

Villeneuve just had a monster year with the Marlies. At 24 years old, he led all Marlies blueliners with 30 regular-season points, then added 23 more in the playoffs. That kind of production usually forces NHL teams to pay attention. But the Maple Leafs already have a pretty clear picture of what they want on the NHL side. They seem to want a mix of veterans, established guys, and high-end youth getting real minutes. When you add Andrae and Raddysh into the mix, Villeneuve’s “easy lane” gets blocked.

The Complication is that Villeneuve Is Not Waiver-Exempt

To make it even more interesting, Villeneuve isn’t waiver-exempt for 2026-27. He already passed through waivers back in October 2025, but would he be able to do it again? Maybe not. If the Maple Leafs think he should stay with the Marlies again this fall, they will have to send him through waivers. And that’s a bigger deal after the playoff success he had during the Marlies’ Calder Cup run.

That makes Villeneuve one of the more interesting players to watch when training camp opens. He’s no longer simply a prospect Toronto can move back and forth between the Maple Leafs and Marlies without thinking about it. The organization has to decide whether he’s ready to challenge for an NHL job or whether he’s better served by another season in the AHL—and if they choose the latter, they have to risk losing him. After the season Villeneuve just had, that’s a decision that could get interesting very quickly.

The Bottom Line: Can Villeneuve Make the Maple Leafs’ Roster?

So what’s the call on him making the NHL roster? There could be a space for him. However, it might not be a guaranteed, full-time space. If the team doesn’t move another defenseman, it’s possible Villeneuve could stay in the Marlies role longer and develop until next season. That is, if someone doesn’t claim him.

The cleanest path would be for Toronto to trade another defenceman, then suddenly Villeneuve becomes a lot more than a “maybe.” He becomes one of the first names fans start pencilling in.