The Montreal Canadiens signed on Sunday recently-terminated forward Alexandre Texier. Texier, 26, had fallen out of the St. Louis Blues’ lineup completely this season. He managed just one assist in eight games this year.
So, the Blues moved Texier to regular waivers. However, no teams bit, leaving the Blues stuck with this $2.1 million cap hit. However, Texier and the Blues agreed to terminate his contract.
St. Louis placed Texier on unconditional waivers on Saturday, expecting him to clear. He did, immediately making him a UFA. The Canadiens, meanwhile, were the frontrunners to sign Texier.
As Elliotte Friedman initially reported on Saturday Headlines on November 22, the Canadiens were the first team up on Texier’s list. The Habs had been reported in on David Kampf. But it was the Vancouver Canucks who scooped him up first.
The Canadiens, for their part, have been dealing with multiple injuries. The losses of Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook have left a dent in Montreal’s forward group. The Habs called up Florian Xhekaj for their last game against the Maple Leafs.
While the Canadiens pounded a beat-up Maple Leafs squad, their need for more depth is evident. As such, Montreal signed Texier to a one-year, $1 million contract, The Athletic reported on Sunday.
Texier doesn’t really seem more than a stopgap solution at this point. But he’s better than Joshua Roy and Jared Davidson at this point. So, the Habs should give Texier every chance to impact the team moving forward.
Canadiens Looking for Help Anywhere They Can Find It
The Canadiens have long been rumored to be on the prowl for forward help. This summer’s biggest rumor was their desire for a second-line center. However, no significant trade materialized. The Habs added Noah Dobson, but that was as far as the team could go.
The first month of the season seemed well enough as the club avoided major injuries. But the loss of two centers in about a week has turned the Canadiens’ situation desperate. The club has been holding on for now. But there’s no telling how much longer than could last.
So, it seems like adding Texier is the best GM Kent Hughes can do for now. It’s a low-risk move that could pay off in droves. But that’s something that remains unclear.
Habs Not Done Adding
Adding Texier is nothing more than a quick-fix move. The Canadiens are hardly done adding, and will continue to seek help. With the market bone-dry at the moment, the Habs will continue to wait out other teams. One such team is the Blues. But others, like the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks, could be moving pieces at some point.
Then, other clubs that may fall off the radar entirely, like the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers, could make for interesting trade partners. The Canadiens are hanging tough in the Atlantic Division and are looking to make a strong playoff run this season.
So, Montreal fans should keep an eye on deals in the pipeline as the Thanksgiving milestone could unleash a flurry of deals in the coming weeks.
Canadiens Add Recently-Terminated Forward amid Desperation