LD Xavier Villeneuve - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL (2026 Draft)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Great skating, hands, puck game. Creates so much offense. He's very good defensively for 5'9, but takes a lot of risks and there's always defensive limitations as a 5'9 player. He's a 2026 draft eligible, so there's a number of years until his draft to get taller and stronger. His older brother is 5'11 and his father is 6'2. His uncle is a former NHL'er that was known more for being a great minor leaguer. I see him as a likely first round pick for 2026, but long way to go. If he grows a couple inches, he could be a high first rounder.

Xavier Villeneuve - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Xavier Villeneuve, 2007-09-29 Laval, QC, CAN Canada. Most recently in the QMJHL with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Click to read more...

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

He makes a lot of noise in junior hockey Q. Very technical. Has grown 3cm since the start of the season. Leads the league in PPG as a U18 defender - 2nd as a U19 defender behind Morin. Currently a top offensive back prospect 2026.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He makes a lot of noise in junior hockey Q. Very technical. Has grown 3cm since the start of the season. Leads the league in PPG as a U18 defender - 2nd as a U19 defender behind Morin. Currently a top offensive back prospect 2026.

How tall is he now?

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

As is often the case, EP has the latest update. He is announced 4 pounds lighter on the LHJMQ website.

He will reach at least 180cm - which is enough for a player of his talent. He was 173cm in june 2023.

« Il fait ça à 16 ans? » : Xavier Villeneuve, un défenseur aux habiletés hors du commun | RDS

Il est jeune, il a une petite stature, mais Xavier Villeneuve a des habiletés hors du commun.

www.rds.ca

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He has to be one of the early favorites for 2026. He's now 5'10.

If he gets to like 6'0 or 6'1 with his game, he could be great.

 

[Bjindaho]

As is often the case, EP has the latest update. He is announced 4 pounds lighter on the LHJMQ website.

He will reach at least 180cm - which is enough for a player of his talent. He was 173cm in june 2023.

« Il fait ça à 16 ans? » : Xavier Villeneuve, un défenseur aux habiletés hors du commun | RDS

Il est jeune, il a une petite stature, mais Xavier Villeneuve a des habiletés hors du commun.

www.rds.ca

FWIW, the Q site has the official measurements taken by the team at the beginning of training camp.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Officially on my radar. Seems to be pretty impressive.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Lighting up the Q. 4+17=21 points in 18 games. Third in PPG, Fourth in total points for a Q defenseman. It's bunched up at the top also (all of the others overagers), so he could end up leading the league in defenseman scoring this year, and he's not even draft eligible until 2026.

 

[frontsfan67]

Lighting up the Q. 4+17=21 points in 18 games. Third in PPG, Fourth in total points for a Q defenseman. It's bunched up at the top also (all of the others overagers), so he could end up leading the league in defenseman scoring this year, and he's not even draft eligible until 2026.

For his sake hopefully he can still grow an inch or two. Putting up points like this and I could see him top 10 in 2026

 

[Mathieukferland]

I have a friend from Abitibi that works in hockey that saw both of his games this weekend. Says he’s one of the most talented Defence prospects in the LHJMQ of the past decade. Similarity in dynamism to Lane Hutson. He’s a late 2007, thinks he could go top 20 in 2026

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I have a friend from Abitibi that works in hockey that saw both of his games this weekend. Says he’s one of the most talented Defence prospects in the LHJMQ of the past decade. Similarity in dynamism to Lane Hutson. He’s a late 2007, thinks he could go top 20 in 2026

If I could like this post, I would.

The next great player out of the Q I’m hoping.

 

[BKarchitect]

If I could like this post, I would.

The next great player out of the Q I’m hoping.

That's a big seal of approval coming from you and others given the reluctance to believe too highly in significantly under-sized junior level "offensive" defensemen (for good reason).

It seems Villeneuve has a dynamic quality to his skating and playmaking and IQ that has a lot of smart observers convinced he's one of the exceptions to the rule.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That's a big seal of approval coming from you and others given the reluctance to believe too highly in significantly under-sized junior level "offensive" defensemen (for good reason).

It seems Villeneuve has a dynamic quality to his skating and playmaking and IQ that has a lot of smart observers convinced he's one of the exceptions to the rule.

Yeah, and his older brother is 5’11 and father 6’2, so it’s not necessarily crazy to believe that by his draft he won’t even be undersized or undersized by much.

His style of play reminds me of Sam Girard, but if he ends up taller than you could be looking at like a Luke Hughes style of defenseman.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Now that I think of it, the comparison may be Olen Zellweger.

 

[wetcoast]

If I could like this post, I would.

The next great player out of the Q I’m hoping.

I liked it for you.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Similarity in dynamism to Lane Hutson.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Looks like some team is going to be getting quite the steal at 61st overall