Canadiens Blueline Will Rely on Underrated Defenseman

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier was acquired in a deal that saw the club ship out one of their promising defensive prospects, Justin Barron.

Where Barron struggled to stabilize things while on the ice, his offensive upside is significantly higher than Carrier's; however, the latter's stout and steady defensive play was a big need for the young Canadiens defense. Most nights, it was no guarantee that Barron would be one of the six defenseman who would suit up for the Canadiens, whereas Carrier is a constant and has been since his arrival.

The Canadiens were looking to take the next step and establish themselves as a contender, and while they didn't do that, they did secure a playoff berth, drawing the final wildcard position in the Eastern Conference. A big part of that was Patrik Laine's offensive skills, but Carrier, while not nearly as recognized as Laine, was integral to the Canadiens' success.

Barron was coveted by the Canadiens when general manager Kent Hughes started putting his fingerprints on his idea for the Canadiens roster. Hughes dealt the defensively astute Artturi Lekhonen to the Avalanche, a move that was necessary given the state of the club at the time.

Unfortunately, it never really worked out for the Canadiens with Barron, but Hughes's crafty work to swap Barron for Carrier is one of the underrated moves that he has been able to pull off.

Though Carrier isn't a top-four defenseman, the Canadiens got full value out of him in an increased role, and his penalty killing and aggressive defensive play for a guy who is considered undersized (5-foot-11 & 176 pounds) stood out.