Montreal Canadiens acquire Alexandre Carrier from Nashville Predators in defense trade

The Montreal Canadiens have traded defenseman Alexandre Carrier to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Justin Barron.

Carrier, 28, has one goal and six points in 28 games with the Predators this season while averaging 20:08 of ice time.

According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Montreal has been looking for more experience on defense to play with some of their younger players. LeBrun adds that the Habs like Carrier’s character and his contract as well.

The 5-foot-11 right-shooting defenseman signed a three-year, $11.25 million deal in the offseason 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 in developing young defensemen and see upside in Barron.

He was acquired by the Canadiens along with a draft pick from the Colorado Avalanche before the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for forward Artturi Lehkonen.

The 6-foot-2 right-handed defenseman is in 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.

Barron, who was drafted 25th overall by the Avalanche in 2020, has 13 goals and 31 points in 111 career games split between the Avalanche and Canadiens.

The Halifax, NS, native represented Canada at the 2023 World Championships and took home a gold medal. He also represented his country at the 2021 World Juniors and won a silver medal.