Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesThe New York Rangers have traded Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for William Trudeau.
Leading up to this trade, there was mixed reporting on whether Bearard was looking for a change of scenery.
Berard, who showed flashes of promise during the 2024-25 campaign in 35 games with the Rangers, did not make the Blueshirts’ opening-night roster out of training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season and spent the majority of the season in the American Hockey League playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 23-year-old played in just 13 NHL games this past season, failing to record a point in the process.
With Berard set to become a restricted free agent this summer,he’s now lined up to sign a contract extension with the Canadiens.
He now reunites with Canadiens president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft while serving as general manager of the Rangers.
The Rangers add Trudeau, a 6-foot-1 left-handed, defenseman to their prospect pool.
Since being selected by the Canadiens in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Trudeau has spent four seasons playing for the Laval Rocket of the AHL, unable to break into an NHL role, given Montreal’s depth on the left side of their blueline.
The 23-year-old defenseman is coming off a season in which he recorded eight goals, 12 assists, and 20 points in 62 games.
Similar to Berard, Trudeau is also set to become a restricted free agent on July 1.
