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Villeneuve, Aaram-Olsen, four others selected on Draft Day 2

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Villeneuve, Aaram-Olsen, four others selected on Draft Day 2

  

Six Terrier recruits heard their names called on Day 2 of the NHL Entry Draft, led by second-round choices defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, taken at #34 by the Blackhawks and Nikolas Aaram-Olsen, taken by Vancouver with the 41st pick.

Along with first-round selections Caleb Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence, eight of the nine draft-eligible Terriers were selected. Those two as well as Villeneuve and Aaram-Olsen will skate for the 2026-27 squad, which will include 20 drafted players.


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A dynamic offensive-defenseman (See recruit profile in the sidebar) who plays in the Hutson Brothers’ style, Villeneuve adds to the increasing Terrier presence on the Blackhawks. Jordan Greenway has joined Chicago returnees Alex Vlasic, Ryan Greene, Sacha Boisvert and, possibly Drew Commesso.

After drafting only 6’1″ or taller D-men in recent years, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson explained drafting the undersized Villeneuve to The Athletic.

“I just think the dynamic offense, the skating,” Davidson said when
asked how Villeneuve might be different. “He has a lot of traits that
are required of a smaller defenseman to work moving forward and so that
certainly played into it.”

“Honestly for me personally, he was just one of those guys, too, that
really popped for me when I met him in person,” Davidson said. “I love
the passion he spoke with when he talked about the game, how he talked
about the game, even just knowing about the league.

“It’s a whole package, there’s a holistic aspect to that. But from a
hockey standpoint, the offense and the skating is one that you need to
see from a defenseman of his size to have a good feeling that they’ll be
able to make it moving forward.” 

  

● TheHockeyWriters.com Blackhawks Draft Xavier Villeneuve 34th Overall 

● Second City Hockey Blackhawks select defenseman Xavier Villeneuve in second round

● Boston Hockey Blog Xavier Villeneuve selected by Chicago Blackhawks in Second Round

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BU’s first-ever Norweigan recruit, Aaram-Olsen joins fellow freshman Malhotra as a Canucks’ pick following a strong J20 Nationell season in Sweden with Örebro (20-20-40). 

CanucksArmy.com reported “He attacks off the rush, handles the puck at pace and works responsibly on the backcheck,” while The Daily Faceoff wrote:

“Aaram-Olsen always shines internationally, typically playing a big role
for Norway across all age groups. He’s a pure goal scorer, and he often
can be found dominating his own age group. I love him on the power
play, where it feels like he does a good job of cycling the puck and
then firing quick one-timers.”

● TheHockeyWriters.com Canucks Draft Niklas Aaram-Olsen 41st Overall  

A pair 2027 recruits were selected in the third round of the draft.  

A 6’3″, 200 lb., right-shot defenseman, Luke Schairer was the first NTDP blueliner selected. His Elite Prospects’ draft profile:

An explosive skater with a separating top-end gear, Schairer has the
mobility of an NHL shutdown defender. He also has the rush defence
skills, combining the speed with angling, stick work, and precision.
He’s a master of diffusing complex rushes.  

The North Carolina native, who will skate for Peterborough in the OHL next season, told The Hockey News:

Following a 52-point prep season at Dexter Southfield, Rian Chudzinski had a strong rookie season the QMJHL. The son of longtime NFL coach Rob Chudzinski, he’ll return to Moncton for a second season before heading to Comm. Ave. 

Orange County Register:

His straight-line speed, tenacity and willingness to bang bodies all
stand out. His offensive game gained steam over
the course of his campaign last year, but his aggressiveness, hunger for
the puck and activity level are what make him an attractive prospect. 

● NHL.com Ducks Select Winger Chudzinski in Third Round of NHL Draft

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2027 recruit Brady Knowling
was grabbed in the fourth round by San Jose as part of one of the
top 2026 draft classes. The 6’5″ netminder for the NTDP U18s was a
standout in the USA-CHL series with a 42-save effort to secure a win. He
also suited up for Team USA in the World Juniors. Knowling, who was Central Scouting’s top-ranked North American goalie, will be in
the crease for OHL Saginaw next season.

● San Jose Hockey Now Sharks Pick Brady Knowling No. 127  

   

San Jose GM Mike Grier–a BU All-American and Jay Pandolfo teammate on the 1995 national champions–who selected Knowling as well as three first-round picks, continues to build a strong player pipeline for the San Jose to support his Macklin Celebrini-led team. The Sharks have earned kudos as one the top winner of the 2026 draft. 

The final BU recruit selected was left wing Shawn Carrier, taken in the seventh round by Colorado.  Last season, the 2027 recruit led the Halifax Mooseheads in goal-scoring with a 37-28-65 scoring line. His Elite Prospects draft profile:

Carrier makes his impact – literally – on the forecheck. After forcing
opponents to the outside, he hammers them into the wall. He’s quick to
close and has the persistence to rip pucks free on second and third
efforts. 

● thednvr.com Carrier notes and hat trick video (scroll down) 

 

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