SEATTLE, Wash.— April 8, 2025 — Today, Seattle Kraken General Manager Ron Francis announced that the club has signed 2024 second-round draft pick Nathan Villeneuve to a three-year, two-way entry-level ($975,000 AAV) contract starting in the 2025-26 season.
“We are excited to officially welcome Nathan to the Kraken organization,” said Francis, “Nathan has a unique blend of grit and skill. We look forward to watching his development continue.”
In his third season with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, Villeneuve set new career highs in points (70), assists (36), goals (34), power-play goals (12), game-winning goals (5) and penalty minutes (120) in 2024-25. Three of his 34 goals were netted on Dec. 20, marking his first career hat trick. His 120 penalty minutes co-led the Sudbury roster and were tied for third among all OHL skaters. Villeneuve’s total goals and 12 on the power play rank second among all Wolves skaters, while his points and assists ranked third and fourth, respectively. He recorded an OHL career-high 13 points (7g/6a) during a seven-game point streak from Feb. 7-21. The 6-foot, 195-pound center has totaled 142 points (69g/73a) in 168 regular-season games and nine points (6g/3a) in 17 playoff games with Sudbury from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
Villeneuve played for the Ottawa Jr. 67s on their U14 and U15 AAA teams (2019-20 to 2020-21) and the Navan Grads U18 AAA team in 2020-21. He scored the most goals (33) of all Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) U14 skaters, becoming a HEO Champion in 2019-20. He was later named the HEO U18 Top Prospect in 2021-22.
The Ottawa, Canada native represented his country in the 2022-23 U17 World Hockey Challenge, adding five points (3g/2a) in seven games and winning a silver medal. Villeneuve was drafted by Seattle 63rd overall in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
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