Blues place Alexandre Texier on unconditional waivers

The decision comes one day after Texier cleared waivers and was assigned to the Blues’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. He was placed on the designated non-roster list on Thursday to make room for the returning Jake Neighbours.

Texier was in the midst of the final season of his two-year contract he signed with the team in June 2024. The deal was made shortly after his signing rights were traded to the Blues by the Columbus Blue Jackets. If Texier clears waivers on Sunday, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

The 26-year-old had been with St. Louis since the start of the season, having played just eight of the team’s first 21 games. His lone point came as an assist against the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 13. In his select number of appearances, Texier registered an even plus/minus, amassing just two penalty minutes while averaging 10:15 of ice time, the lowest of any season in his seven seasons in the NHL.

The rough start to the year comes after a 2024-25 campaign where the French winger struggled to stay in the lineup. Whether it be healthy scratches, injuries or illness, he played just 31 times during the regular season, and three of the Blues’ seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Winnipeg Jets. Texier scored six goals and five assists for 11 points during the regular season before adding an assist in the playoffs.

Texier, a second-round pick by the Blue Jackets in the 2017 NHL Draft, has appeared in 240 regular-season games in his NHL career, scoring 40 goals and 51 assists for 91 points. He’s also added eight points in 21 postseason contests.