The Montreal Canadiens acquired yet another Francophone on Sunday. However, this player hails from France, not Quebec. Montreal signed forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year deal after St. Louis terminated his contract. Alexandre Texier is a former second-round pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite this, he’s never carved out a consistent role at the NHL level. Still, with all the injuries that the Canadiens have faced, Texier could be a useful player down the stretch. Let’s analyze his potential impact on the Montreal Canadiens and how he might fit into the team’s lineup both this season and in the future.
Montreal Canadiens New Addition Alexandre Texier
Alexandre Texier has yet to consistently produce offence in the NHL. However, he has managed some offensive success with 20 points in only 36 games back in 2021-22. His career high in points is 30 back in his days as a Blue Jacket. Texier’s skill and pace complement the Canadiens forward group very well. Furthermore, he adds some size to the Habs lineup, standing at 6’1.
Texier’s Play Style
Texier’s biggest strength is undoubtedly his silky hands. We’ve already seen some flashes of his high-end puck skills during his first handful of practices in Montreal. He even has his own patented one-handed shootout move that he’s pulled off on more than one occasion. He could be a wild card option offensively if he can find chemistry with Montreal’s forwards.
Where He Fits into the Canadiens Lineup
Texier hasn’t been a regular top-six option throughout his career. Even with the injuries to the Canadiens forward corps, it’s unlikely he carves out a top-six role with the club. Montreal’s top six is solidified with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, and Juraj Slafkovsky leading the way. Zachary Bolduc and Oliver Kapanen complement the Canadiens core forwards. Texier has played some centre, so the Canadiens may view him as more of an offensive option than Kapanen on the second line. He also has some familiarity with the struggling Bolduc from their time in St. Louis. Could they find themselves on the second trio alongside Demidov? Even outside the top six, however, Texier could still provide some offensive help for Montreal.
With injuries to Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine, and Kirby Dach, Montreal has had to implement some depth forwards into the bottom six. Joe Veleno, Florian Xhekaj, and Jared Davidson are currently in the lineup, while Joshua Roy was returned to Laval following Texier’s signing. While Xhekaj had a solid debut, he likely won’t spend the entire season in Montreal. As for Davidson and Veleno, they haven’t provided much offense thus far. Texier could be a solid replacement for Davidson on the third line alongside Veleno and Brendan Gallagher. He also plays both left wing and centre, which makes him a versatile player to have in the team’s bottom six. The Canadiens injured forwards were all mainstays on the second power-play unit; therefore, Texier could also see himself in that role.
Alex Texier’s Future with Montreal
Texier was only signed to a one-year deal with the Canadiens, making him a low-risk short-term option. The rest of his season in Montreal will determine whether he returns beyond this year. He’ll have an opportunity to prove himself with Dach, Laine, and Newhook out long-term. Upon their return, it’s unclear whether he would have a place in the team’s lineup, but with the trio not expected to return until early 2026, that isn’t an immediate concern.
At only 26 years old, he fits into the age range of the Canadiens core. Don’t rule out the possibility of a contract extension if the forward can find some success in Montreal and revitalize his career.
Main Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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