For the second straight day, the Habs have made a minor swap of prospects. The Canadiens traded defenceman William Trudeau to the Rangers in exchange for winger Brett Berard.
Berard was a fifth-round pick by New York back in 2020, going 134th overall. Notably, he was selected when Jeff Gorton and top scout Nikolai Bobrov were still with the organization so they clearly have some extra familiarity with him.
The 23-year-old had a promising 2023-24 campaign, his first in the pros. That year, he had 25 goals and 23 assists in 71 games. That set him up for his best opportunity to date as in 2024-25, he spent more time with the Rangers than AHL Hartford. Berard played in 35 NHL games that season, notching six goals and four assists while potting nine goals and 14 helpers with the Wolf Pack.
However, this past season wasn’t as strong. Berard’s output dipped to six goals and 16 assists in 41 games with Hartford while he was held off the scoresheet in 13 games in New York. That led to a reported trade request earlier this week, one that has been granted.
Berard, a 5’9 winger, is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. He will also be waiver-eligible for the first time next season so Montreal will need to pass him through waivers before they can send him to Laval. Alternatively, a strong training camp could give him an outside shot at making the NHL roster, depending on other moves the Habs make over the coming weeks and months. If he makes it to the Rocket, Berard will likely be a top-six forward for them next season.
As for Trudeau, the 23-year-old was a fourth-round selection in 2021, going 113th. He has yet to see any NHL action but has been a reliable two-way blueliner with the Rocket over the last four seasons. He has ranged between 19 and 27 points in each of those campaigns, including an eight-goal, 12-assist effort in 2025-26. He’s also a pending restricted free agent.
Trudeau was slated to be one of the younger ‘veterans’ on the Rocket’s back end next season. Rookies Bryce Pickford, Owen Protz, and Luke Mittelstadt all turning pro while Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher could be key pieces in Laval or on Montreal’s roster. It’s safe to say that the Habs will need to bring in multiple experienced defenders to round out the roster for the Rocket for next season.