Brett Berard Traded to the Canadiens: The Rangers and the Habs Are Able to Communicate

After sending Luke Tuch to Columbus in exchange for Hunter McKown yesterday, the Canadiens made another move in the AHL.

The Rangers and the Habs (two teams that can actually talk to each other, after all…) traded Brett Berard for Quebec native William Trudeau, who had been playing in Laval for the past few years.

This is obviously a minor trade that doesn't affect the Habs' plans. And it's safe to assume that Chris Drury and Jeff Gorton didn't exactly communicate directly with each other on this one.

In exchange for William Trudeau. So it's Berard for Trudeau. https://t.co/mUZJXLduUn

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 26, 2026

Trudeau has spent the last four years in Laval and will need a new contract next week. He'll become a restricted free agent in the coming days.

In the end, he never got the chance to play for the Canadiens.

Berard, too, will need a deal starting in July: he'll also be a restricted free agent. He's a 23-year-old left-handed forward who plays on the wing and brings an intense style of play to the ice.

The difference with Trudeau? He has NHL experience—48 games over the past two years.

This former fifth-round pick from 2020 is an American who has never played in Canada before. It's unclear how much of a chance he'll get with the Habs.

Why? Because he's 5'9”.

Details to follow…