Every offseason in the NHL brings a fresh wave of rumors, speculation, and possible trades that could reshape a team’s future. For the Edmonton Oilers, one rumor in particular has fans buzzing: the potential availability of William Villeneuve, a young right-handed defenseman currently with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Right-shot blueliners are considered one of the most valuable assets in hockey, often described as “unicorns” due to their rarity and importance in building a Cup-contending roster.
According to Allan Mitchell of The Athletic, Villeneuve may be the kind of overlooked talent Edmonton could target, a player blocked on Toronto’s roster but capable of finding a bigger role somewhere else. For a team like the Oilers, who continue to look for reliable depth on the back end, this could be a low-risk, high-reward opportunity.
Why William Villeneuve Could Be an Oilers Target
Villeneuve, 22, has quietly built a steady professional résumé over the last three seasons with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. He’s not flashy, but he has consistently improved, especially in his ability to move the puck and generate offense from the blue line. As Josh Kloke also wrote for The Athletic earlier this summer, Villeneuve “has had three seasons of steady production with the Marlies, with some improvement in his breakouts and offence creation. Yet he hasn’t made himself impossible to ignore.”
We’ve signed defenceman William Villeneuve to a one-year, two-way contract extension pic.twitter.com/z2mCHnSdAT
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) August 5, 2025
That last phrase is key. While Villeneuve has grown as a player, he hasn’t done quite enough to lock down a future with the Maple Leafs. With Toronto already crowded on defense and chasing bigger-name upgrades, the path to an NHL role for Villeneuve looks blocked. He did sign a one-year contract extension earlier this month, but it reads more like a placeholder deal than a sign of long-term commitment. Allan Mitchell suggests that a qualifying offer next summer isn’t even guaranteed. This is exactly where a team like Edmonton could step in.
The Oilers know the value of adding right-handed defense depth. They’ve leaned heavily on Evan Bouchard as their primary offensive threat from the blue line, but finding balance behind him has been a challenge. Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, and Brett Kulak are left shots, and the Oilers are still searching for another right-handed option who can move the puck and eat up minutes.
Villeneuve may not be NHL-ready right away, but he fits the mold of a developmental project that could grow into a useful role. He’s still young, has size, and has shown steady progress each season in the AHL. More importantly, he could likely be acquired for a modest price, given Toronto’s depth chart and priorities.
Vinnie hasn’t played for the Oilers in two years boys