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Martin St-Louis steps up to defend Alexandre Carrier as criticism grows
Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL
Martin St-Louis has just defended Alexandre Carrier, even though the defenseman admitted he was not happy with his season.
After practice, Carrier acknowledged to the media that he had been searching for his game a bit over the past few weeks. Asked about it, St-Louis responded calmly, reminding everyone that Alexandre had not forgotten how to play hockey and simply needed to regain his confidence.
"I think I'm lacking a bit of confidence with the puck on breakouts," he admitted, "and also a bit of confidence with my feet defensively to neutralize plays." - Carrier
On the scoresheet, however, Carrier's 2025-26 season remains quite full. At 29 years old, he shows 1 goal and 7 assists for 8 points in 24 games, with a -10 rating and 10 penalty minutes.
Where he truly stands out is in blocked shots. Carrier already has 61 since the start of the schedule, a team-high for the Montreal Canadiens and one of the highest totals in the NHL right now.
Martin St-Louis sends a clear message to Alexandre Carrier
Beyond the numbers, context matters. Carrier is a right-shot defenseman, 5-foot-11 and 174 pounds, born in Quebec City, and he is playing the second year of a three-season contract at $3.75 million per year, valid through 2026-27. For a defenseman who plays around 18 minutes per night, that represents an important commitment from the organization.
Habs coach Marty St. Louis today on Alex Carrier, who admitted that he hasn't personally been satisfied with his season:
"I would just tell him to keep going. Alexandre hasn't forgotten how to play hockey. When your confidence goes down a bit, your reading of the game isn't as elevated or as effective. You just gotta take a deep breath. Just stay calm and go out there and play, because I love him as a player." - St-Louis
"I would just tell him to keep going. Alexandre hasn't forgotten how to play hockey. When your confidence goes down a bit, your reading of the game isn't as elevated or as effective. You just gotta take a deep breath. Just stay calm and go out there and play, because I love him as a player." - St-Louis
Since his arrival, he has strung together tight games, blocked shots, and big shifts on the penalty kill. In public, St-Louis has already called Carrier a "warrior." Today, he adds another layer to that support by reminding him to breathe, stay calm, and simply play. When a coach takes the time to say he loves a player, that sends a strong signal in a locker room.
Now we wait to see how Carrier responds to this vote of confidence after all the concerns surrounding him.
Given the role he already occupies in the Montreal Canadiens' defensive group, every shift becomes an opportunity to turn those words into concrete results on the ice.
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