The Nashville Predators announced Wednesday evening that they have traded defenseman Alexandre Carrier to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Justin Barron. The move comes just before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze and clears $2.6 million in cap space for Nashville.
Barron has appeared in 17 games for the Canadiens in 2024-25, recording one goal, 20 blocked shots and 17 hits while averaging 14:43 of ice time. The 6-foot-2, 198-pound right-shot defenseman was originally selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round (No. 25 overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut with the Avalanche in December 2021 before being dealt to Montreal in March 2022.
Barron, 23, has 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) in 111 career NHL games between Colorado and Montreal.
Carrier recorded seven points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 28 games for the Predators this season before landing on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The 28-year-old Quebec native has been a key contributor on Nashville’s top-ranked penalty kill, averaging 2:44 per game. A fourth-round pick by the Predators in 2015, Carrier has 11 goals and 58 assists in 245 career NHL games.
Carrier signed a three-year, $11.25 million contract extension ($3.75 million AAV) with Nashville this past offseason. Barron, meanwhile, carries a $1.15 million cap hit through the 2025-26 season, at which point he will become a restricted free agent. After the trade, the Predators have just over $7 million in available cap space.
The Predators also placed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo on waivers Wednesday, and he will be assigned to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals if he clears. Roman Josi is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Jeremy Lauzon remains on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, so Barron figures to slot in on the Predators’ blue line Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins if neither injured defenseman returns to the lineup.
The Predators (9-17-6) are coming off a 2-0 defeat of the New York Rangers and will look to win back-to-back games for the first time since Oct. 23-25 when they take on the Penguins Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.
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