William Trudeau grabs NHL opportunity with Predators ahead of Bell Centre return

Five years after being drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, William Trudeau is finally on the verge of a meaningful appearance at the Bell Centre — just not in the sweater many once expected. The Quebec defenceman has cracked the Nashville Predators’ lineup, playing his first two NHL games and likely drawing in again Thursday night in Montreal.

From Laval and Hartford to a waiver claim in Nashville

Trudeau spent four full seasons with the AHL’s Laval Rocket without earning a call-up from the Canadiens. In June, he was traded to the New York Rangers, an organization already deep on the back end. He took part in training camp but was cut in the second-to-last round of roster moves before the regular season.

On September 26, he landed in Hartford to join the AHL Wolf Pack and even reported to the rink to skate with his new teammates. That same day, his plans changed abruptly when the Nashville Predators put in a successful waiver claim, just hours before the 2026–2027 NHL season opened.

The move ensured he would stay with an NHL club at least in the short term and gave him a real shot at games rather than another year of waiting in the minors. Speaking after Predators practice in Brossard on Wednesday, Trudeau described the turn of events as an “incredible” moment in his career.

Solid first impression in his first two NHL games

Trudeau’s NHL debut came quickly. On October 3 in Nashville against the Dallas Stars, he took the traditional solo lap reserved for rookies making their first appearance. Two nights later, he was in the lineup again, this time facing the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Across those two games, he averaged just over 11 and a half minutes of ice time, focusing on a straightforward, low-risk style. Brought in for his competitiveness, he has leaned on his defensive awareness, skating and puck-moving to settle in with the Predators.

Defenceman Brady Skjei noted he had not known much about Trudeau beforehand but quickly saw a player who looked comfortable and effective. Jonathan Marchessault, who also took a long road to an NHL job, highlighted Trudeau’s grind through the minors and the edge he brings, qualities he believes fit well with Nashville’s identity.

No hard feelings toward Canadiens as fresh start takes hold

Despite never getting a look in Montreal, Trudeau is not dwelling on the past. He understands that the Canadiens and their AHL affiliate in Laval were crowded on defence, and that as one of the last players drafted under the previous front office, he often fell behind prospects picked by the current management group.

In Nashville, a door has finally opened, and Trudeau appears intent on walking through it. Thursday’s game at the Bell Centre will be his first regular-season appearance in the building where his NHL journey began on draft day, now as a visitor in Predators’ yellow rather than the Canadiens’ bleu-blanc-rouge.