Spits get a Sam Bennett
Seattle Kraken scout Mike Dawson is of the notion that the Windsor Spitfires acquired a Sam Bennett type of sandpaper forward in nabbing Nathan Villeneuve from the Sudbury Wolves.
The Spitfires picked up the valuable Villeneuve — a 2006 birth year skater — from Sudbury in a blockbuster trade. And Dawson, who had a major hand in Seattle taking Villeneuve in the second round of the 2024 National Hockey League draft, was quick to compare the big forward to the aforementioned Sam Bennett of the two time reigning champion Florida Panthers.
“I am a little biased because we drafted him but I think Villeneuve is the best pick-up available on the trade market in the Ontario Hockey League. He is going to be a real problem for opponents in the playoffs. He is a Sam Bennett type of player,” Dawson relayed to Hockey News Windsor.
Villeneuve (in photo at left) is a former first round pick by the OHL Wolves who skated in 213 games for Sudbury, regular season and playoffs included. He produced 91 goals, 104 assists, 195 points and rang up 322 minutes in penalties.