When Kent Hughes decided to acquire Alexandre Carrier, I didn’t think we’d be talking about him as a key piece of the Canadiens’ defense so quickly.

It’s only been about a dozen games with Montreal, and in my opinion, he’s already contributing a lot.

He’s not the «flashy» type of player, but he does everything necessary to help the team win.

He’s solid in his zone, makes simple decisions with the puck, and plays physically when needed.

It’s exactly what the blue line needed.

What I like about Carrier is that he allows Kaiden Guhle to play on the left, his natural position. The two have developed great chemistry.

Together, they form a super-effective pair, which really helps the Canadiens perform better defensively.

It’s incredible to think that Nashville traded Carrier just to free up cap space.

The worst part is that Justin Barron, who was sent in return, hasn’t proven much yet, , and the Canadiens are the ones benefiting from all this.

This isn’t the first time Kent Hughes has shown he knows how to capitalize on situations.

In addition to Carrier, he also managed to acquire Patrik Laine.

Being flexible with the salary cap is a major advantage for the Canadiens and shows they are on the right path to building a competitive team.

Carrier costs $3.75 million per season until 2027, and I think that’s a fantastic deal for a top-four defenseman like him.

He’s reliable, works hard, and is respected by his teammates. I’m really happy he’s with the Canadiens, and I think he’ll continue to help the team for a long time.

The Montreal Canadiens have a 10-2-1 record since acquiring him from the Nashville Predators, impressive!

A trade other NHL teams regret, according to Elliotte Friedman

The well-known Elliotte Friedman recently mentioned that some teams regret not making this trade.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet on the Canadiens’ trade for Alexandre Carrier:

«I think there are a lot of teams that looked at this trade and said, ‘Why didn’t we do that?’»

Via HabsOnReddit