Blackhawks Draft Xavier Villeneuve 34th Overall

With the 34th pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks have selected Xavier Villeneuve from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

About Xavier Villeneuve

Xavier Villeneuve is another undersized, but very skilled, defenseman who will probably surprise a lot of people when he makes it to the NHL. Just like Lane Hutson before him, he uses his skating and edgework to make up for the lack of size, along with being extremely elusive. Like most offensive-minded defensemen, he will have to work on his defensive game, but that will come in time, as we’ve seen with Hutson and Quinn Hughes as they’ve developed in the league.

Villeneuve spent his draft year with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL, finishing with six goals and 38 points in 37 games. He lost a huge chunk of the season due to injury, but returned just before the playoffs to lead his team to the semi-final against the Moncton Wildcats. He led the blue line with six goals and 14 points in 17 games before being eliminated in Game 7. He will transition to the NCAA next season with Boston University.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

“Xavier Villeneuve could be a very polarizing player at the 2026 NHL Draft. At 5-foot-11 and 157 pounds, he’s one of the smallest top defensive prospects in recent memory. But for what he lacks in size, he makes up for it with his dynamism. Possessing a deep bag of tricks, it’ll be interesting to see where the high-upside blueliner goes.

“The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is known for its inflated offensive totals, but Villeneuve’s production is still impressive. Last season, he ranked second in points per game among defensemen with 1.02. This season, he’s third with 1.03, sitting on six goals and 30 assists in 35 contests.

“It should be noted that Villeneuve hasn’t played since Jan. 4 due to injury. Furthermore, he’s had just one multi-point outing since December 2025. Those factors, and especially the size and defensive concerns, are why opinions may vary on Villeneuve.”

“As outlined, the reasons to take a chance on Villeneuve start with his offense. He effortlessly creates separation at the blue line, opening up passing and shooting lanes. One of his favorite dekes is his spin move, which is risky but super effective. In addition, he takes advantage of any space given to him, leading to dangerous scoring opportunities.

“Villeneuve also generates a lot from the defensive and neutral zones. He’s capable on retrieval duty and utilizes his stretch-pass ability to start rushes. As a gifted skater, he’s able to carry the puck up the ice himself, too.”

Continue reading the full player profile here.

How This Affects the Blackhawks’ Plans

The Blackhawks got a bit of a steal here with Villeneuve in the second round. He has first-round skill, but his size made him drop out of Day 1. With Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel on the right side, they need more offensive power on the left side, and Villeneuve brings that in spades. He needs to work on his defensive game, but you can’t teach offense, and with the amount of skill the Blackhawks have up front, he will be able to boost that from the backend.