Alexandre Carrier showed up in a big way for the Montreal Canadiens in their season opener. During training camp, it looked like David Reinbacher would start the season alongside Lane Hutson, but the Canadiens changed gears. Reinbacher was one of the team’s final cuts, starting the season with the Laval Rocket. Instead, the Canadiens went with a more veteran presence, pairing Hutson with Carrier. Carrier's place in the lineup appeared to be in question, with both Adam Engstrom and Reinbacher vying for a spot. The Canadiens ultimately went with the veteran defenceman, holding down the fort until Kaiden Guhle returns from injury. Montreal’s decision was the right one, as Carrier had a major impact in their 3-2 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Carrier leads the way offensively on the blueline
Carrier was a pleasant surprise when acquired during the 2024-25 season from the Nashville Predators. He is a reliable defender and a valuable asset on the team’s penalty kill. Last season, Carrier’s performance was met with mixed reviews. His play was up and down from the very start, but he still showed his worth defensively, finishing second on the team with 155 blocked shots. In the Canadiens’ season opener, it was Carrier’s complete game that jumped off the screen. He scored Montreal’s third goal of the game, which ended up being the game-winner. He finished the game with a goal, an assist, a blocked shot, and a hit. He played just under 22 minutes in the contest and was a crucial member of the Canadiens’ penalty kill that held the Maple Leafs power play off the scoresheet.
Canadiens fans should not expect this kind of offensive production from Carrier every night. He has never been a consistent point producer, with his career high for points in a season being 30 during the 2021-22 season with the Predators. Normally, it would be Hutson’s job to drive the offence from the blueline, but on an off night, it was Carrier who picked up the slack. He was aggressive in the offensive zone, getting shots to the net, which directly led to Josh Anderson scoring the equalizer midway through the first period. His goal came in a very similar fashion. Carrier picked up the puck on the blueline and fired a wrist shot that fooled a heavily screened Sergei Bobrovsky. It was a stellar performance by the defenceman who is normally praised for his defensive play.
How does the Canadiens' defence look moving forward?
The Canadiens currently have seven defencemen on their roster, with Engstrom sitting out opening night. A decision will have to be made when Guhle returns to the lineup, but after game one of 84, Carrier is not going anywhere. One problem the Canadiens still face on defence is the lack of right-shot defenders. They have two on the roster: Noah Dobson and Carrier. When Guhle returns, the biggest question will be where he will play in the lineup. Guhle is an established top-four defenceman, but the Canadiens may opt to keep Carrier on a pairing with Hutson, allowing the young defenceman to play on his preferred left side.
After their performance against the Maple Leafs, the Canadiens should really consider keeping the Hutson/Carrier pairing together. Yes, Hutson did not look as explosive offensively, but none of the Canadiens' stars looked great in the opener. The question now becomes: who does Guhle replace in the Canadiens lineup? Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble got the nod in game one over Engstrom. Engstrom will likely get a chance to play in the lineup before Guhle returns, and if he can outshine Xhekaj or Struble, the Canadiens will have a tough decision to make moving forward.
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