The Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens have agreed to a trade to swap defencemen. Alexandre Carrier goes to the Habs while Justin Barron heads to the Predators.

Nashville and Montreal Swap Defencemen

Trade:

To #GoHabsGo: D Alexandre Carrier

To #Preds: D Justin Barron

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 19, 2024

Carrier has seven points in 28 games this season. The 28-year old has spent his entire career with the Predators. He has recorded 69 points 245 career games. Furthermore, Carrier was part of the Preds team that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2017.

Barron was drafted in 2020 by the Colorado Avalanche. In his combined time with the Avs and the Habs, Barron has recorded 31 points.

Reason for the Defencemen Swap

It appears both teams are looking to shake things up. Both teams sit near the bottom of their respective divisions. For the Habs, it is not unexpected for them to be in this spot. However, the Predators entered the season with Stanley Cup aspirations following an active off-season.

For the Habs, they acquire a veteran defenceman who can help the youngsters in the locker room. Furthermore, Carrier is under contract for the next seasons after this one. The Habs will have that veteran presence for a few seasons. Of course, they could choose to trade Carrier at a later time, but we will have to wait and see.

Barron has had trouble finding his footing in the NHL. While it did not quite click in Colorado or Montreal, perhaps another change of scenery can help Barron. After being a healthy scratch for much of the season, Barron may have to earn his way into the Predators lineup on a consistent basis.