Alexandre Carrier Injured in Ottawa: Who Is the Next Man Up on Defense in Nashville?

On Monday night, the Nashville Predators lost in overtime to the Ottawa Senators in their final game of a three game road trip. During the second period Alexandre Carrier left the game with an undisclosed injury and did not return for the remainder of the night. Andrew Brunette shuffled the defensive pairings after Carrier headed down the tunnel, but if the 27-year old Quebec native isn't able to play in tomorrow night's game against the L.A. Kings, who is the next man up for the Nashville Predators?

Under normal circumstances, the question would be easily answered by slotting Tyson Barrie back in the line up, but the defenseman has often been a healthy scratch for Nashville and the situation seems...complicated. 

It looked like Barrie would be a permanent part of the lineup and an important veteran presence on the blue line for Nashville to start the season, but as December rolled around Barrie became a healthy scratch at times for Andrew Brunette. In early December word leaked out that Barrie had been given permission to talk to other teams. General Manager Barry Trotz expressed his frustration that a private conversation became public and not from the Predators' side. In the handful of games that Barrie has played in December and January, he has struggled defensively, and he's been a healthy scratch for fourteen of the last fifteen games.

For all intents and purposes, it seems that Tyson Barrie's time with the Predators is heading for an inauspicious end but with no takers as of now he remains watching from the press box. Even though the most obvious solution if Carrier is unable to play Wednesday night is to slot Barrie in the lineup, is that what Trotz and Brunette will opt to do? 

Already this season the Predators have gotten a good look at two young defensemen who have each been recalled for brief stints from Milwaukee. Marc Del Gaizo made his NHL debut with Nashville on November 4 and played five games with the Preds. The 24-year-old had three assists and a +2 while with Nashville. He has played 33 games for the AHL Milwaukee Admirals this season and scored five goals and 21 points while recording a +15.