The Montreal Canadiens have acquired defenceman Alexandre Carrier to the from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenceman Justin Barron.
Carrier, 28, has a goal and six points in 28 games with the Predators this season while averaging 20:08 of ice time.
Habs had been looking for more experience on D to play with their younger guys. They like Carrier’s character and also his contract, too.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 19, 2024
Barron was part of a glut of younger D in organization on right side. https://t.co/jOHezc4oFx
According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Montreal has been looking for more experience on defence to play with some of their younger players. LeBrun adds that the Habs like Carrier's character and his contract, too.
The 5-foot-11 right-shot defenceman signed a three-year, $11.25 million deal in the off-season with an annual cap hit of $3.75. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
Drafted 115th overall by the Predators in 2015, Carrier has 11 goals and 68 points in 240 career games.
Barron, 23, has a goal in 17 games with the Canadiens this season while averaging 14:43 of ice time.
LeBrun wrote in a post on X that from the Predators' perspective, they have been successful developing young defencemen and see upside in Barron.
From the Preds’ perspective, they’ve been successful developing young D and see upside in Barron. He’s younger, bigger and less expensive. https://t.co/0jaHkbC3tn
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 19, 2024
He was acquired by the Canadiens, along with a draft pick, from the Colorado Avalanche prior to the trade deadline in 2022 in exchange for forward Artturi Lehkonen.
The 6-foot-2 right-shot defenceman is on the first season of a two-year, $2.3 million contract with an annual cap hit of $1.15 million. He is scheduled to be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Drafted 25th overall by the Avalanche in 2020, Barron has 13 goals and 31 points in 111 career games split between the Avalanche and Canadiens.
The Halifax, N.S., native represented Canada at the 2023 World Championship, taking home a gold medal. He also represented his country at the 2021 World Juniors, winning a silver medal.
