Canadiens acquire Brett Berard from Rangers in swap for William Trudeau
The winger, 23, spent last season split between New York and Hartford. The trade comes hours before the 2026 NHL Draft.
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The Montreal Canadiens added forward depth Friday by acquiring winger Brett Berard from the New York Rangers in exchange for defenceman William Trudeau.
Berard, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Rangers in 2020. He spent most of last season split between New York and AHL Hartford, recording six goals and 22 points in 41 games with the Wolf Pack and six penalty minutes in 13 games with the Rangers.
Trudeau, a fourth-round Canadiens pick from 2021, is 23 and has yet to make his NHL debut. The defenceman tallied eight goals, 20 points, and 54 penalty minutes in 62 games with AHL Laval last season.
The trade announcement came hours before the 2026 NHL Draft began Friday evening. The Canadiens hold the 28th overall pick, while the Rangers own the fifth and 26th selections.