William Trudeau is taking a new path, and he’s not hiding why.
After years of trying to carve out a spot with the Montreal Canadiens organization, the 23-year-old defenseman now sees the New York Rangers as a better shot at reaching the NHL. Trudeau recently spoke about the move after being traded from Montreal to New York, and his message was simple: the opportunity in Montreal never fully opened up.
“It’s not easy. It was my home, and I wasn’t playing very far from where I grew up,” the Varennes native said.
Still, Trudeau is looking ahead rather than dwelling on what didn’t happen with the Canadiens.
“I wanted to get my chance in the NHL, and over the years, that didn’t happen in Montreal. I think this will be a better opportunity.”
Trudeau was drafted in 2021 and spent four solid seasons with the Laval Rocket, but his route to Montreal’s NHL roster kept getting crowded. The Canadiens added more defensemen along the way, and the path he was hoping for never really materialized. By the end of last season, both sides agreed that a fresh start made sense.
That doesn’t mean Trudeau is walking away bitter. He said he does not see his time in the organization as a failure.
“I had the chance to attend camps in Montreal and play preseason games at the Bell Centre.”
He also leaves with a strong impression of Laval, which he called the best organization in the American Hockey League because of its fans, arena and the way it treats its players.
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