Weekly 2026 NHL Draft-Eligible Three Stars

17-year-old Jean-Cristoph Lemieux’s week started with a big change. The 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge gold medalist was dealt from the Windsor Spitfires along with a package of eight draft picks to the Sudbury Wolves for Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Alex Pharand and Seattle Kraken prospect Nathan Villeneuve. Lemieux has had a pretty seamless transition after moving from the team at the most Southern point of the province to one of the furthest north, with five points (three goals, two assists) in three games.

Villeneuve completed his third OHL campaign with 34 goals, 36 assists for 70 points in 57 games, adding 120 penalty minutes. He put pen to paper on his ELC this spring, and appears committed to return for one more OHL campaign. Fantasy managers and Kraken fans alike will watch with anticipation for the gritty forward’s potential callup to Coachella Valley at the end of the season.

Villeneuve has added to his offensive totals in his D+1. He’s pacing for a line of 36-37-73 in 60 OHL games. The most relevant stat for Villeneuve will be the 127 PIMs he is pacing for, as Villeneuve will most likely be a middle-six grinder sought after for his hits. The offensive output is within the top 100 U19 OHL performances since 2009-2010, but at this stage, it should not be expected to be a hallmark of his NHL game.

DRAFTPRO – 2024 7-ROUND CONTRIBUTOR MOCK DRAFT

78. Montreal Canadiens (From WAS/MIN) – Nathan Villeneuve, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL) SUMMARY: For much the same reasons as Pettersson, here we find a player who skates very well, competes a lot and plays a very good two-way game. Can be used as a winger or center, Villeneuve is very difficult to play against. He can play in a pesty way and can be an agitator. So Montreal gets a player who can do it all. Will be more useful on a third line. – Samuel Laplante