Alexandre Carrier
| Birthday: 1996-10-08 | Position: D |
| Eligible for draft: 2015 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: 2015 | Height: 5-11 |
| Acquired: 4th round (115th overall), 2015 | Weight: 168 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- D
History
2011-12: Alexandre Carrier skated for the College Antoine-Girouard Gaulois in the Quebec Midget AAA league. In 40 regular season games he scored 5 goals with 25 assists and 30 penalty minutes. The Gaulois reached the QMAAA semifinals, falling to Seminaire Saint-Francois. Carrier scored 1 goal with 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games. He was selected by Gatineau in the first round (fourth overall) in the 2012 QMJHL Entry Draft.
2012-13: Carrier skated in the QMJHL with Gatineau as a 16-year-old and played for Canada Quebec in the 2013 World Hockey Challenge. He scored 2 goals with 5 assists and was -1 with 28 penalty minutes in 50 regular season games for the Olympiques. Gatineau finished fifth in the West Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Carrier scored 1 goal and was +3 with 6 penalty minutes in nine playoff games. He had 1 assist with 10 penalty minutes in six games for Canada Quebec at the WHC.
2013-14: Carrier played for the Canada U18 team at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August before returning to Gatineau for his second QMJHL season and concluded the year skating for Canada at the 2014 U18 World Junior Championship in Finland. An assistant captain for the Olympiques, he scored 3 goals with 25 assists in 67 regular season games and was +31 with 29 penalty minutes. Gatineau finished fourth in the West Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Carrier scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was +7 with 4 penalty minutes in nine playoff games. He was -1 with no points in five games for the gold medal-winning Canada squad at the Ivan Hlinka tournament. Carrier was +1 with no points nor penalties in seven games as Canada captured a bronze medal at the WJC.
2014-15: Carrier was the top offensive defenseman for Gatineau and the club’s third-leading scorer behind overage right wing Louick Marcotte and fellow Predators’ draft pick Yakov Treninin in his third season with the Olymiques. An assistant captain and one of two players to skate in all 68 regular season games, Carrier scored 12 goals with 43 assists and was +17 with 64 penalty minutes during the regular season. Gatineau finished fifth in the West Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Carrier scored 2 goals with 3 assists in 11 playoff games and was +1 with 18 penalty minutes. He skated with the QMJHL all-stars in the Subway Series against Russia and was ranked 89th amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings. Carrier participated in the NHL Prospects Combine and was selected by Nashville in the fourth round (115th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Talent Analysis
Carrier is an undersized, skating defenseman who likes to handle the puck and is adept at making quick passes to create opportunities off the transition. His lack of size and lack of bulk at times is a disadvantage in his own end but his skating ability allows him to excel in high-paced action. He uses his escapability to avoid big hits and prevents opposition scoring chances with his quickness.
Future
Carrier attended prospect camp with the Predators and was among the 13 defensemen invited to Hockey Canada's U20 development camp in August. He will attend training camp with the Predators before returning to Gatineau for his fourth QMJHL season in 2015-16. A candidate to play for Canada at the 2015 World Juniors, Carrier projects as a puck-moving, offensive defenseman at the pro level. He will likely need to add bulk to withstand the rigors of the pro game and his lack of stature may be an issue against the bigger, faster forwards at that level.
