Maple Leafs have one prospect they may no longer be able to send back to the Marlies

William Villeneuve has consistently been one of the Toronto Maple Leafs' most impressive defensive prospects with the Marlies.

Last season, he finally got his very first taste of action with the Maple Leafs as he was called up for a three-game stretch. From there, he was sent back to the Marlies, where he helped the team secure a Calder Cup victory.

Going into the 2026-27 season, questions remain surrounding Villeneuve and whether or not this is the year the Leafs finally give him an entire season to cook in the NHL.

Villeneuve's Calder Cup breakout arrived just as Toronto lost the luxury of sending him down freely

Throughout the 2026-27 AHL season, Villeneuve finished with 30 points in 61 regular-season games. This includes three goals and 27 assists.

However, it was the postseason where Villeneuve truly flourished. He registered 23 points in 24 games en route to the Marlies winning the Calder Cup title. The Maple Leafs need a playoff riser, and Villeneuve's flash of brilliance this past Spring bodes well for his future prospects.

Villeneuve now enters a much different roster situation because he requires waivers to be sent back to the Marlies. Toronto can no longer simply assign him to the AHL without giving every other NHL team an opportunity to claim him first. For a 24-year-old, right-shot defenceman coming off a 23-point Calder Cup playoff run, that is no longer an insignificant risk.

Simply put, this is the first training camp where the Leafs cannot simply assume Villeneuve needs another year in the AHL. If they do that, then they are risking a particularly valuable asset.

Toronto's seven-man blue line leaves Villeneuve with no obvious NHL seat and no easy AHL exit

Going into this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a crowded blue line with Darren Raddysh, Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, Emil Andrae, Troy Stecher, and of course, Villeneuve fighting for NHL playing time.

Villeneuve is 24 and has already played 226 games in the AHL. He has now produced in the regular season and has imposed his will offensively during a championship Calder run. Not to mention, after years of grinding, he got is taste of the NHL.

With this crowded blue line, the question around Villeneuve becomes layered. Do they carry an extra defenseman? Do they trade him? Do they risk losing him to waivers? These are the questions that will keep general manager John Chayka up at night.

All of this makes training camp that much more critical for the Leafs, who are trying to balance keeping their assets together while also giving those who are deserving of one a fair opportunity.

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