In exchange for a rental, the Seattle Kraken believe they’ve gotten human sandpaper late in the 2nd round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
With the additional 2nd rounder (#63 overall) acquired in the trade deadline deal which sent Alex Wennberg to the New York Rangers, the Kraken selected center Nathan Villeneuve from the OHL Sudbury Wolves. Villeneuve, a 5-foot-11, 193 pound 18-year-old scored 23 goals and 50 points for Sudbury in 56 games.
Why only 56 games? He was suspended by the OHL for 15 games in March. Citing “inappropriate game-related comments shared on a Sudbury Wolves group chat,” the Sudbury Star reported, “A bounty had been placed on a Barrie Colts player.”
NHL Network said this of Villeneuve: “He is a pain in the you-know-what. A throwback. He’s in your grill all night long. He’ll trash-talk you, he’ll run you over. He scores big goals and then he rubs that in your face. You love to have him on your team, you hate to play against him. “
Wennberg was clearly missed by the Kraken after the trade, as Seattle faded badly down the stretch. It appears he’s about to be missed in New York, too, with the Blueshirts willing to let the Swedish forward hit free agency on July 1. Wennberg did score an overtime playoff winner against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Panthers – but that was one of just two goals scored for NYR in the regular season and playoffs combined.
Lets all welcome Nathan to the Deep!
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