The Montreal Canadiens took a major risk this season by signing former St. Louis Blues castaway Alexandre Texier.
Texier had completely fallen out of the Blues’ lineup after registering just one assist in eight games this season. Instead of heading to the AHL, Texier and the Blues mutually terminated his contract. The termination allowed Texier to sign elsewhere.
The only rumored destination was Montreal. So, the Canadiens picked him up on a one-year, $1 million pro-rated deal. The move has turned into the smartest move by the club this season. Texier has found his groove with the Habs, scoring seven goals and 16 points in 25 games.
While Texier isn’t precisely the top-six forward the club has reportedly sought, he’s been better than expected. As such, the Canadiens rewarded Texier with a two-year, $5 million contract extension on Wednesday, PuckPedia reported.
The extension is a far cry from the depths of despair Texier found himself in earlier this season. The highlight was his hat trick against the Florida Panthers on January 8. Texier’s first-career three-goal game capped off a 6-2 pounding of the defending Stanley Cup champs.
All told, the Canadiens hit one out of the ballpark with Texier. The 26-year-old is still young enough to where he could play a significant role in the Canadiens’ emerging core. He’s also old enough to be a meaningful presence for the younger, up-and-coming players in the Habs’ organization.
Texier Has Found Home in Montreal
Texier’s discontent in St. Louis became a distraction for the Blues. The club tried to find a solution to the matter, but couldn’t find a way to make the former second-round pick stick with the club.
With the Canadiens, however, Texier has looked reinvigorated. His disposition immediately changed upon landing in Montreal. That situation has led to his remarkable turnaround. He’s now playing on the team’s top line with captain Nick Suzuki and dynamic winger Cole Caufield.
That’s why it’s safe to say that Texier has found a home in Montreal. He’s the sort of shrewd move the Canadiens have been looking to make. The club got a solid player without losing any key pieces.
Canadiens Still Not Done Adding this Season
The prevailing chatter is that the Montreal Canadiens are not done adding this season. The club will be looking to bring in additional pieces to bolster the lineup. Nevertheless, the team’s philosophy is not to add by subtracting.
That situation means that the Canadiens will add pieces that make sense for the team’s long-term plans. While the temptation may be there to ship out a couple of valuable pieces, the goal is to ensure the Habs’ long-term sustainable future.
The trap the Canadiens are looking to avoid is to accelerate the rebuild by “going for it” this season. The goal isn’t to win the Stanley Cup this season. A deep playoff run will suffice for the time being. But as the team makes further headway, the bar will surely rise. That will be the point where the Habs can afford to make bolder moves.
Canadiens Extension Caps Off Smartest Move this Season