William Trudeau is starting over with the New York Rangers, and the 23-year-old defenseman says the move from the Montreal Canadiens had been building toward that point for a while.
The trade, announced earlier this summer by Kent Hughes and the Canadiens, came with both sides aligned on the decision. Trudeau has now opened up about the split, saying it was a difficult one but not one filled with frustration.
"It's not easy.
It was my home, and I wasn't playing very far from where I grew up."
- William Trudeau
He added that the goal never changed: he wanted a real shot in the NHL, and that chance never arrived in Montreal.
"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."
- William Trudeau
Drafted in 2021, Trudeau spent four solid seasons with the Laval Rocket, but his path with the Canadiens kept getting tighter. Montreal’s blue line has only grown more crowded, and that made his exit feel close to inevitable.
Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom all earned NHL looks after their time in Laval, and more defensemen are lining up behind them. David Reinbacher, Bryce Pickford, Owen Protz and Bogdan Konyushkov are also expected to push for spots in the years ahead.
Still, Trudeau doesn’t see his time in the organization as a disappointment. He said he had chances to attend camps in Montreal and suit up for preseason games at the Bell Centre.
"I had the chance to attend camps in Montreal and play preseason games at the Bell Centre."
- William Trudeau
He also praised Laval as the top American Hockey League organization in terms of fans, arena and how players are treated.
For Trudeau, the trade to New York looks less like a breakup and more like the next step in a search for opportunity.
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