The Montreal Canadiens announced on Wednesday that they had signed winger Alexandre Texier to a two-year, $2.5 M cap hit contract in what has to be one of the best feel-good stories of the season so far.
After just 25 games with his new team, Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier feels right at home and wanted to stay beyond the one-year contract he had signed to join the Habs. As a result, the team announced on Wednesday morning that they had signed him to a two-year contract extension with a $2.5 million cap hit.
Since arriving in town, the Frenchman has put up 16 points in just 25 games. Since he joined Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki on the top line, he has put up 10 points in nine games and shown that he has the talent and skills necessary to complete the Canadiens’ most dynamic duo.
Speaking to the media after the announcement, Texier explained:
I’m super happy for the next two years, and I’m going to keep playing my game without worrying about anything because I’m happy right now.
After leaving the St. Louis Blues, the forward no longer enjoyed playing hockey, so after consulting his agent and mother, he agreed to terminate his contract with the Missouri team.
Asked about how the negotiations went on the contract extension, Texier said:
I think it got done quite quickly. My wish was simple, I just wanted to stay here, this is where I want to play, where I feel good. The way I’m playing must have helped, and as I said, I want to be here, and both parties agreed, so it got done quickly.
Texier seems to have taken to Montreal like a fish to water, and when he was asked why, he already knew he wanted to stay after just 25 games. He praised the team, the players in the dressing room, and the organization. He also added that he had felt great since the first day he arrived.
Looking back on the difficult time he’s had with the Blues, he said it strengthened his mental resilience and taught him a valuable life lesson.
The winger doesn’t take anything for granted. He says playing with Suzuki and Caufield helps, but he likes that he can play anywhere in the lineup and contribute. In other words, he knows that his time on the first line doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he’ll play with them long term, but he doesn’t have an issue with that.
Given the recent results, this extension appears to be a great move by GM Kent Hughes. Texier has demonstrated strong offensive instincts and can play the kind of game Martin St-Louis prefers his players to play. He can read the game the right way, which is why he was given an audition on the top line after Zachary Bolduc failed to produce results in the nine games he spent alongside Suzuki and Caufield. With Juraj Slafkovsky producing strong results alongside Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen, the fact that Texier was able to click with Suzuki and Caufield has finally given the Canadiens a real top six, taking some of the pressure off them.
Clearly, the organization likes what it has seen from the 26-year-old so far, and it’s easy to see that when the numerous injured players are ready to reintegrate the lineup, Texier won’t be the one to make way. With a new contract and participation in the Olympics just ahead, the Saint-Martin-d'Hères native is living proof that hard work pays off.
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