Alexandre Carrier worries me

Yesterday, the Québécois defenseman finished the game at minus-2. He took the penalty that led to the Mammoth’s first goal and was directly responsible for another Mammoth goal on its comeback in the second.

Except that he still played 20:01, the third-highest total of any defenseman on the team.

We only have one other right-winger on the blue line: Noah Dobson.

Alexandre Carrier’s difficulties have been present since the start of the season. Carrier is the Montreal defenseman with the worst differential(minus-9). Quite a contrast with the defenseman who came to stabilize Montreal’s defensive brigade almost a year ago to the day..

Why is Carrier having such a different season than last year?

Did Tom Wilson’s check in Game #4 against the Capitals in April leave its mark? That’s one hypothesis. Carrier is the habs player who gets hit the most. He also ranks sixth in the entire NHL in terms of body checks received. In the long run, that can take its toll..

Did he simply play over his head during his first few months in Montreal? You know, one GM agreed to trade him for Justin Barron! Seeing him play like he did last year was a bit surreal, wasn’t it?

Go figure..

The fact remains that if the Canadiens want to get back on track for good – and not just for a night or two, relying on the luck and opportunism of their best players – they’ll need to be able to count on a second, more effective right-handed defenseman than Alexandre Carrier is right now.

If Carrier were left-handed, he’d already be in the stands, in place of Arber Xhekaj. But playing with five left-handed defensemen is risky in today’s NHL

Carrier’s contract expires next season. He’ll earn $2.8 million, but will account for $3.75 million of the Habs‘ payroll. He’ll also have to get back to playing top-level hockey if he hopes to sign an attractive new deal after this one.

He holds all the cards; it’s up to him to play them well.

Note that last year, when everything was going well, Carrier followed everything that was said or written about him and his new team. This year, he does so much less. And that’s a good thing, because as much as people have the right to criticize his game, he has the right not to let those criticisms get to him.

Extension

I look at this this morning and in the (eternal?) absence of Kaiden Guhle, we’re missing a defender on the top four. Struble, Carrier, Engstrom, Xhekaj or even Reinbacher aren’t currently defensemen capable of donning such skates in the NHL.

Kent Hughes will have to 1. hope that Kaiden Guhle can stay healthy; 2. make sure that David Reinbacher develops (healthy) at top speed this season in Laval and 3. Find a way to retain the services of Mike Matheson.

Many fans had already seen him on the move before the start of the season, but a game like last night’s should be enough to convince just about everyone: Mike Matheson is extremely important on the blue line. He’s perhaps the best all-around defenseman on the team. He can do it all.

But how much is he worth? Are negotiations going well? Will he be back in Montreal next year?