23-year-old Leafs prospect shows quiet confidence and patience despite being overlooked in the organization

Despite not yet receiving a look at the NHL level at 23 years old, Leafs prospect William Villeneuve keeps showing a calm resilience that stands out in a market where Toronto Maple Leafs prospects rarely get room to breathe.

The right shot defenceman stays unfazed even when fans push for a recall that has not yet come.

He understands why Leafs Nation clamours for a right side solution, yet he refuses to let that noise rush him. Villeneuve said he believes every player develops on a different timeline and that patience remains essential to his growth. His approach mirrors the composed style he brings nightly.

In a recent article for the Toronto Sun, Villeneuve told Leafs beat reporter Terry Koshan that he understands that not everyone's path to the NHL is the same.

Now in his fourth full season with the Toronto Marlies, Villeneuve has turned steady progress into real production.

In 184 career AHL games he has 101 points, including 11 goals and 90 assists, which places him second in franchise scoring by a defenceman behind T.J. Brennan's 156. That milestone reflects both skill and consistency.

Villeneuve points to last December as a turning point. He said he grew stronger mentally, learning not to let a bad game spiral into a rough week. That shift helped him settle into his six-foot-two, 190-pound frame and trust his reads more.

Marlies coach John Gruden has watched the transformation closely. Gruden said Villeneuve has grown a lot since bouncing in and out of the lineup early in his career. He believes the next step is more consistency in pressure moments and tighter work away from the puck -- areas that take time for young defencemen.

Fans may focus on offence, but Gruden remains confident Villeneuve can already make plays. The coach credits him for embracing the slower parts of development, the ones built on habits, box outs and calm decisions in tight spaces.

Villeneuve also leans heavily on veterans around the organization. Logan Shaw and Kyle Clifford help set day-to-day standards, but the biggest impacts have come from Jake Muzzin and Mark Giordano. Villeneuve said both men give honest feedback shaped by more than 1,800 combined NHL games.

Giordano brings a steady voice on the bench, helping Villeneuve read moments. Muzzin offers blunt advice, reminding young players that sometimes less is more and that calming the mind matters as much as any skill.

Villeneuve knows his time will come, and with this mindset, it feels like he will be ready when it does.