The Maple Leafs got an unwelcome update on William Villeneuve on Wednesday, with GM John Chayka confirming the Marlies defenseman had undergone ACL reconstruction during the offseason and will be out long-term.
Chayka addressed the media as training camp opened with the club’s team marketing day and touched on a range of injury situations, including Max Domi and Chris Tanev. He also revealed another significant setback in the organization: Marlies defenseman Cade Webber had elbow reconstruction surgery in the offseason and is rehabbing on a month-to-month basis, with hopes of returning this season.
For Villeneuve, though, the news is more severe. Chayka said, “William Villeneuve underwent ACL reconstruction during the offseason. He will be out long-term, but we expect him to make a full recovery.”
The 24-year-old appeared in three games for the Maple Leafs last season, finishing with no points, a plus-one rating and 17:20 of ice time. He spent most of the year with Toronto, where he posted 30 points in 61 regular-season games, then turned in a massive playoff run with 23 points in 24 games, including a franchise-record 21 assists.
Drafted 122nd overall in 2020, Villeneuve has piled up 120 points in 226 games with the Marlies. Last season marked the first time he got into an NHL game with the Maple Leafs, after several previous call-ups that didn’t lead to more playing time.
The concern now is what this means for his development. Villeneuve is a mobile defender who leans on his skating and quickness, and an ACL reconstruction is a tough hurdle for a player built around those traits. Even if he gets back on the ice in a few months, the bigger challenge will be regaining his rhythm in game action.
That timing matters, too. With the injury landing now, his path back to NHL consideration has become a lot murkier, especially with other prospects pushing to work their way into the picture.
For Toronto, it means one fewer option on the blue line. For Villeneuve, the priority is simply getting healthy and making a full recovery.
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