MONTREAL – A phone call. A life turned upside down. Boxes to prepare. A new city to adapt to.
It’s hard to imagine turning around on a dime, packing up your life’s possessions, and moving nearly 2,000 km away from everything you’ve built over almost 10 years.
That, however, is one of the hazards of the occupation of a professional athlete.
And, for Alexandre Carrier, who spent all four years of Junior in Gatineau before joining the Nashville Predators for the next eight seasons, the initial shock of such a sudden change was greatly softened when he learned his next destination would be Montreal.
“Initially, I was a bit shocked. But, when I found out I was going to Montreal, I was really excited. There were a lot of emotions, honestly. It’s still chaotic to be traded during the season and to move all your things,” explained Carrier. “You don’t really know what’s going to happen, you’re meeting new people... it was a lot. But I’m really, really happy to be here.”
Making the NHL is the dream of thousands of young hockey players. And while some have a clear path to get there, Carrier had to prove his worth throughout his career in order to get where he is today.
"I had a bit of a different journey compared to a lot of guys. I played four years in the AHL. In my first year there, I was called up for the first time and I played my first NHL game,” recounted Carrier, who made his NHL debut in January 2017 in Vancouver. “After that, it took me three years before I got back to the NHL. There was a lot of questioning, of perseverance, of highs and lows.”
So, when the opportunity to carve out a permanent spot in the League came up during a period of time full of disruptions due to COVID-19, he didn’t pass it up.
"I seized the opportunity because I told myself, ‘I’m not going back to the AHL. Either it’s happening now, or it’s over,’” said Carrier.
His efforts were rewarded. In 2021-22, Carrier played his first full season with Nashville, recording 30 points including 27 assists, to go along with a plus-28 differential, in 77 games. Reliable and consistent, the blue-liner had the third-highest average ice time (20:08) on the Preds this season before he left. His ice time has been roughly the same since joining the Canadiens in December.