The Rangers’ roster trimming took another turn, and this one stings a little more than the usual camp paperwork.
Defenseman William Trudeau, who had been waived by New York, was claimed by the Nashville Predators, as Elliotte Friedman reported on X. That ends Trudeau’s brief run with the organization after the Rangers brought him in just a few months ago.
New York acquired Trudeau from the Montreal Canadiens on June 26 in exchange for Brett Berard, with the club trying to clear out some bottom-six depth while adding more help on the blue line. A little over a week later, on July 6, the Rangers signed Trudeau to a one-year, two-way deal. Nashville now takes on that contract after putting in the claim.
Trudeau, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft at No. 113 overall, spent the 2025-26 season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket and put up strong numbers. In 20 games, he produced 20 points, scoring eight goals and adding 12 assists.
He also finished with a plus/minus of +3 and 54 penalty minutes. Trudeau turns 24 on Oct. 11, and there’s still room for him to keep developing before he becomes a full-time NHL option.
Claims like this are still the exception, not the rule. Last year, 233 players were placed on waivers and only 10 were claimed. Trudeau is one of just three players to get claimed so far in this round of cuts.
The others were Leevi Merilainen, who went from the Ottawa Senators to the Vancouver Canucks, and Andreas Englund, who was waived by the Calgary Flames and claimed by the Detroit Red Wings.
Trudeau getting picked off the waiver wire could force the Rangers to think harder about the rest of their cuts. Scott Morrow, a 23-year-old right-handed defenseman, is still on the roster bubble and is viewed as having more upside than Trudeau, which could make him a target as well.
The same issue could come up with goalie Dylan Garand, who may also attract interest if he hits waivers.
In Other News...
Rangers Gave Fans Real Reason To Feel Good Before Bruins Opener
A strong night against the Islanders gave the Rangers a little preseason momentum as they headed toward the Boston Bruins and the start of games that count. New York jumped early and kept pouring it on in a 6-1 win, with Oliver Bjorkstrand, J.T. Miller, Tye Kartye, Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad all getting on the scoresheet while Adam Fox set the tone with three assists.
For a team trying to build some early confidence, it was the kind of performance that checked a lot of boxes without asking the staff to read too much into the result. The Rangers have now strung together two straight preseason wins, and after the offensive showing on Long Island, they have at least given their fans a reason to feel better about where things stand before the opener in Boston. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Still Have One Roster Decision Hanging Before Opening Night
The preseason ended on a high note for the Rangers, who rolled past the Islanders 6-1 with a lineup that looked awfully close to what they expect to roll out on opening night. Even with the win serving as a tidy finishing touch, the final roster remains unfinished, with two spots still open as the club heads into the last stretch before the regular season begins.
What makes the wait interesting is the shape of the roster itself. New York has already trimmed its camp group and is still staring at a shortage of clear center options, which has fueled the idea that the answer could come from outside the organization. The waiver wire is part of the conversation now, and the next move may say as much about the teams depth concerns as the preseason finale did about its top-end readiness. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face One Season-Defining Question Heading Into 2026-27
The Rangers head toward 2026-27 with a much cleaner-looking backbone than they have had in recent seasons. Between Adam Fox, Vlad Gavrikov and Igor Shesterkin, the club has the kind of defensive and goaltending structure that can keep games manageable, and that is usually the starting point for any team trying to steady itself in the East.
Still, the real question is whether the rest of the roster can do enough to turn that stability into wins. New Yorks season could swing quickly depending on health and the growth of its younger forwards, with the gap between a playoff berth and a frustrating year likely resting on whether the offense finds enough consistency to support the pieces already in place. [Read more 🡒]