William Villeneuve made his NHL debut on Saturday, playing 18:45 in a third-pair role alongside Simon Benoit. Toronto controlled 59 percent of the expected goals at 5-on-5 when Villeneuve was on the ice at 5-on-5, and he was one of the team’s better players on Saturday.
“I thought he was really good,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Villeneuve, post-game. “On the first couple of shifts, there were obviously nerves, but I thought he had a good game. He did good things tonight: competed, defended hard, moved the puck fairly well. I was pretty happy with him.”
Villeneuve recorded three goals and 29 points in 59 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this season. Prior to the game, Villeneuve spoke about how excited he was to play for the Maple Leafs, after four seasons in the AHL.
“I think everyone has their own path, own timeline, and if I look at myself from four years ago, I’m a different player and person,” Villeneuve said. “I’m confident in my game, and I’ve worked a long way for that, so I’m excited.”
Although the Maple Leafs lost handily to a rival that eliminated them from the playoffs last season, many in Leafs Nation were rooting for a loss. Toronto’s first-round pick will need to become a top-five selection, or else it converts to the Boston Bruins, as part of the conditions from the Brandon Carlo-Fraser Minten trade. Berube spoke about how his team found motivation for a game that ultimately doesn’t matter in the short term.
“You’ve got to compete. I thought we competed. We didn’t go out there and not compete, but there were just mistakes. Whether it is turnovers or different plays in certain situations, there were mistakes. They’re finding their way into the net.”
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