The Montreal Canadiens made a quiet move earlier this off-season, but Brett Berard is the kind of addition that could end up mattering more than it looks on paper.
Montreal landed the 23-year-old forward from the New York Rangers in exchange for defenseman William Trudeau, and Berard immediately becomes one of those players worth keeping an eye on this season. He isn’t the headline-grabber in the deal, but he’s young enough that there’s still room for his game to grow, and a new environment can sometimes do exactly that for a player.
Berard’s recent numbers show both the upside and the inconsistency. Last season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, he played 41 games and finished with six goals and 22 points. He also got into 13 games with the Rangers but didn’t register a point there.
There’s also a stronger case for optimism when you zoom in on his 2024-25 production. In that stretch with New York, Berard posted six goals, 10 points, and 53 hits in 35 games.
He followed that with another solid run in Hartford, where he put up nine goals and 23 points in 30 games. That kind of split output is exactly why he fits the mold of a bounce-back candidate.
What makes Berard especially interesting is the way he plays. His high-energy style gives him a chance to stand out in camp and during the season, and it would not be surprising if Montreal ends up giving him NHL opportunities if injuries open the door. For a Canadiens system looking for players who can still turn a corner, Berard is not someone to ignore.
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Vegas got useful production from Pacioretty before moving on from him in 2022, but the long view is what keeps the debate alive. Suzuki has since become the Canadiens captain and first-line centre, won the Selke Trophy and played a major role in the teams recent success, giving Montreal a centerpiece it did not have when the deal was made. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Goalie Situation Just Got More Complicated Than Fans Expected
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There is still a path where Montembeaults name comes back into play if the right outside interest develops, especially with other clubs monitoring injury news and reassessing their depth. For Montreal, though, the issue is no longer just about whether there is a market. It is about whether a move can be made without forcing the Canadiens into a corner on value, timing and the rest of their goaltending picture. [Read more 🡒]