Canadiens sign Alexandre Texier to two-year extension

The Montreal Canadiens have locked in an a key depth forward.

The team announced on Wednesday that they have signed forward Alexandre Texier to a two-year contract extension that will carry an average annual value of $2.5 million while running through the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.

In November, the St. Louis Blues placed Texier on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutual contract termination. That allowed Texier to become a free agent and pick his next spot, and he found a solid home in Montreal.

The fit became clear quickly, as Texier slotted in and delivered solid depth production right away. In his 25 games played with the Habs so far, the six-foot-one forward has seven goals and nine assists.

Texier joined St. Louis in the offseason, and he appeared in just 8 of the Blues’ first 21 games, recording only one point. The French forward is set to represent his country at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.

Prior to this stint in Montreal, the best hockey of Texier’s NHL career came with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected him in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft. In 2023-24 with the Jackets, Texier reached a career high with 30 points.

Now comfortably past the midway point of the NHL season, the Canadiens find themselves in strong position to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season. At 26-14-7, they’re third place in the Atlantic Division and are in striking range of first with Detroit and Tampa Bay standing in their way.

Montreal is fresh off a back-to-back scenario that featured a 6-3 home win over Vancouver and a 3-2 overtime loss on the road in Washington. The Canadiens will visit the surging Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night before wrapping up their schedule for the week on Saturday on the road in Ottawa.