Spitfires acquire Alex Pharand and Nathan Villeneuve from Wolves in major deal

The Windsor Spitfires and Sudbury Wolves completed a major trade on Tuesday, with Windsor acquiring forwards Alex Pharand and Nathan Villeneuve in exchange for forward Jean‑Christoph Lemieux and a package of OHL Priority Selection picks.

Windsor receives Pharand and Villeneuve, while Sudbury adds Lemieux along with eight draft selections: a 2026 third-round pick (Peterborough), a 2027 second-round pick (Ottawa), 2028 second-round (Windsor), third-round picks in 2028 (Windsor and Oshawa), a 2029 fourth-round pick (Windsor), and fifth-round selections in 2028 and 2029 (Windsor).

Pharand, a 2005-born forward from Sudbury, Ont., was originally selected 14th overall in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection by Hamilton before joining his hometown Wolves. Now in his overage season, Pharand has appeared in 293 career OHL games, recording 168 points. This season, he has produced 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) through 37 games and has 14 points over his last nine outings.

Drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Pharand was also a three-time recipient of Sudbury’s Community Service Award and a regular leader off the ice during his time with the club.

Villeneuve, a 2006-born forward from Ottawa, Ont., was selected third overall by Sudbury in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. In four OHL seasons, he has played 196 games and recorded 186 points, including 44 points (16 goals, 28 assists) in 28 games this season.

The Wolves captain entering the 2025-26 campaign, Villeneuve was drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft and signed an NHL entry-level contract in April of 2025.

“It is never an easy day when you trade quality people like Nathan and Alex,” said Wolves Vice President and General Manager Rob Papineau. “Both left a very positive mark on our team and our city. At the same time, adding a young player we highly valued in Jean-Christoph, along with high draft picks, puts us in a strong position moving forward.”

Lemieux, an 18-year-old forward from Gatineau, Que., was selected 22nd overall by Windsor in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward has 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 33 games this season and has represented Canada at the U17 World Challenge and the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is listed as a ‘C’ prospect on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary watch list for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Pharand departs Sudbury after 270 games with the Wolves, while Villeneuve leaves after three and a half seasons as one of the franchise’s top offensive players and captains.

The deal gives Windsor two proven, NHL-drafted forwards for the stretch ahead, while Sudbury adds a young forward and significant draft capital as it plans for the seasons to come.

All confirmed trades can be found on our OHL Trade Deadline Tracker.