Blackhawks prospect Xavier Villeneuve won’t take part in the World Junior Summer Showcase after all. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that the blueliner is still rehabbing the hip injury that bothered him last season. He was limited to 37 games with QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand, averaging just over a point per game with six goals and 32 helpers.
Villeneuve is set to play for Boston University this season.
Meanwhile, Wheeler adds that Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien is dealing with some knee tendinitis and is resting it to be ready for training camp with Seattle in the fall. The center was picked eighth overall last year and had 93 points in 53 games with OHL Brantford last season while getting into a handful of AHL playoff contests. Assuming the agreement for 19-year-old CHL players to play in the minors gets finalized, O’Brien will likely play with the Firebirds if he can’t stick with the Kraken in training camp.
Other prospect news from around the hockey world:
Before being traded to Nashville last month, there had been talks about loaning goaltender Isak Posch to Sweden for the upcoming season, he noted to Hockey Sverige’s Ronnie Ronnkvist. The 24-year-old had a decent first professional year, posting a 2.78 GAA with a .891 SV% in 28 games for AHL Colorado while spending time as the emergency goalie for the playoffs with the Avs.
However, he was slated to be the third-stringer had he stayed with the Eagles, leading to the loan discussions. Instead, Posch was included as part of the Ross Colton trade and should serve as the backup to AHL veteran Matt Murray with AHL Milwaukee in 2026-27.
While Capitals goaltender Antoine Keller is under contract in Switzerland for the upcoming season, he told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that he’s hoping to return to North America instead. After four ECHL games last season, he requested to play closer to home for family matters. The 21-year-old played in 14 games for HC Ajoie, putting up a 3.05 GAA and a .905 SV% while also playing for France at the Olympics and the Division I World Championship.
Keller has to sign by June 1st or Washington will lose his rights.
Rangers prospect Tomas Chrenko won’t make the jump to playing in North America after all. Instead, he’ll remain in HK Nitra’s program in Slovakia; Nitra’s new head coach Erik Caladi told Dennik Sport’s Peter Levai that New York has signed off on Chrenko staying home for the upcoming season. The 18-year-old was a third-round pick last month and has been drafted in both the OHL and USHL, giving him options.
Instead, Chrenko will stay with Nitra where he spent most of last season in their men’s league, putting up 31 points in 44 regular season games and a dozen more in 19 playoff contests.