On the off chance that the Pittsburgh Penguins don’t decide to be aggressive and trade up for a specific player, we’re throwing Xavier Villeneuve at them. He’s one of those players who could fall out of the first round entirely due to his size (he’s 5’11” and 162 pounds), but based on his skill, we have him ranked in the top half of the first round.
In the 2025 first round, no defensemen under six feet tall were selected. Villeneuve is genuinely worth not repeating that. While his skill set is raw, his upside is such that we would pit him against even the top players in this draft. He’s agile, dynamic, and extremely intelligent, with quick hands and feet that let him put that intelligence into action in every game. His timing, in particular, when trying to outwit and outmatch opponents, is especially impressive.
Ignore his size. Villeneuve makes an impact each time he steps onto the ice. More consistency on his end is necessary when planning his development path, as is adding muscle. The Penguins have a little bit more time to let prospects cook before they need to be ready for a Big-Three-less future. Villeneuve could be one of the players to soften the blow down the road.
