Xavier Villeneuve impressed the Canadiens at the Combine

Vincent Larue
Xavier Villeneuve impressed the Canadiens at the Combine
Credit: Xavier Villeneuve

The Canadiens met with several prospects at the NHL Combine in Buffalo.

Among them was Quebec native Xavier Villeneuve.

The defenseman also shared that his meeting with the Montreal organization went very well in an interview with BlueChipProspect.

“Really great. It was truly incredible. The staff, the psychologists—they push you, and it's really fun.” – Xavier Villeneuve

This isn't the first time a prospect has spoken about the Canadiens' unique interview process.

Over the years, the organization has built a reputation for putting young players to the test with sometimes unexpected questions and various exercises designed to better understand their personalities.

Villeneuve also shared a rather interesting anecdote about the famous trash can test.

The concept is simple: the prospect must shoot a puck into a trash can and can choose his own position in the room.

From what he's heard, he's one of the first players in nearly 20 years to have backed all the way to the back of the room before taking his shot. For the record, he made the shot.

He doesn't seem afraid to think outside the box.

Beyond this anecdote, Xavier Villeneuve is known for his mobility, his skating ability, and his capacity to generate offense from the blue line.

It's impossible not to notice certain similarities with Lane Hutson. Both players rely more on their intelligence, mobility, and creativity than on their physicality.

That's precisely what makes his profile interesting ahead of the upcoming draft. The Canadiens already have Hutson in their organization, along with several other young defensemen. It remains to be seen whether this will influence their thinking when it comes time to make their 28th-round pick.

That is, assuming Villeneuve is still available.

At present, many observers expect him to be selected before the end of the first round. The chances of him slipping down to the Canadiens' picks therefore don't seem particularly high.

But as is the case every year in the draft, a few surprises are enough to completely change the picture.

One thing is certain: if the goal of the meeting with the Canadiens was to make a good impression, Villeneuve seems to have succeeded.


Quick Fire

– Why not?

– Wow.

– That's crazy for the price.

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