Maple Leafs Send Groulx, Villeneuve Back to Toronto Marlies After Recalls

Bo Groulx and William Villeneuve have been assigned to the Toronto Marlies after brief recalls to the Maple Leafs earlier this week, a roster shuffle that leaves Toronto managing depth while veteran forward Max Domi and goaltender Joseph Woll missed practice. Groulx led the Marlies with 22 goals and 42 points in 47 games this season, while Villeneuve finished the 2024-25 campaign with 40 points (4 goals, 36 assists) in 55 AHL games.

The team’s official channel noted the practice absences in the recall window, tweeting: “Maple Leafs F Max Domi (personal) and G Joseph Woll (flu) will not take part in today’s practice. F Bo Groulx has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).” The tweet framed Groulx’s elevation as the immediate roster replacement during the practice period.

William Villeneuve’s assignment follows a recall on Wednesday and comes after the club signed him to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 23-year-old Sherbrooke native stands 6’2” and 195 pounds and was originally a fourth-round pick (122nd overall) in 2020. His junior résumé includes 153 points (21 goals, 132 assists) in 216 QMJHL regular-season games, a 2022 Memorial Cup title, and QMJHL Second All-Star Team nods in 2020 and 2022. Villeneuve’s career AHL totals list 90 points (9 goals, 81 assists) in 165 regular-season games, plus two assists in two Calder Cup Playoff games in 2025; InsideTheRink described him as the Marlies’ “number-one defenceman” in 2024-25 and suggested the recall may serve as insurance or a look-see for keeping him as a seventh defenceman.

Benoit-Olivier “Bo” Groulx, 26, was recalled Thursday before being reassigned. The French-born Canadian was a second-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2018, signed with Toronto over the summer of 2025, and carries one goal and five points in 65 NHL games with Anaheim across three seasons. TheHockeyWriters called Groulx “one of the success stories with the Toronto Marlies this season,” and added, “When teams need a spot filled, they don’t grab someone at random. They grab the player they believe won’t hurt them. Groulx fits that description.” The Leafs site and coverage note Groulx’s recall could be a short-term placeholder until Domi returns or an audition ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Organizational context underlines the moves: Toronto previously sent 33 players to the Marlies as part of a mass round of roster cuts, and the club has shuffled weekend practices around the Olympic break. Theleafsnation’s coverage lists potential forward trade candidates being discussed in Leafs circles, Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy, and Calle Jarnkrok, framing Groulx’s look as something to watch if Toronto moves roster pieces.

A conflict in public accounts surrounds Woll’s absence. The Leafs’ official statement put Woll out of practice with the flu, while InsideTheRink reported that Woll had taken a personal leave of absence; the team’s PR wording remains the primary in-game update. InsideTheRink also flagged Dennis Hildeby, one of the Marlies’ regular goaltenders last season, as a likely next man up should Toronto need an extended backup, and noted Simon Benoit was practicing in a red no-contact jersey.

Key follow-ups remain: the exact transaction timestamps for Groulx and Villeneuve’s assignments, whether Groulx saw game action during his recall window, and any formal moves to add Hildeby to the NHL roster. Those answers will determine whether these reassignments are routine depth management or the start of more significant roster changes ahead of the trade deadline.