Montreal Canadiens Role Profiles: Alexandre Texier

After scoring 16 points in his first 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Texier would earn himself a nice two-year extension that will pay him $2.5 million a season until the end of the 2027-28 campaign. Unfortunately, Texier wouldn’t be able to sustain the same production for the rest of the season, as it eventually dried up. In the final 18 regular season games, Texier scored just one goal and three points as his offensive touch around the net disappeared. 

During that slump, it wouldn’t take long for him to get moved down the lineup. The good news is that he showed he can keep up and play on a top line if he needs to. Texier would finish the season with eight goals and 20 points in 43 games, for a 38-point pace over a full 82-game season. 

If Texier can continue to produce at around a 35-40 point pace like he did during the majority of the season with the Canadiens, his $2.5 million salary will look really good. Although even if he ends up being more like the player who struggled later in the season, that cap hit won’t hurt, as it’s a team-friendly deal with just how much the salary cap went up. 

Luckily, come playoff time, Texier found his game again and came clutch by scoring the game-winning goal on two separate occasions throughout the Montreal Canadiens’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Carolina Hurricanes. In 19 playoff games, Texier would register four goals and eight points on a checking line with Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson.

Although Texier is best known as a depth point producer on the Canadiens, his defensive game is also very solid. He has proven that he can play a role on the penalty kill by using his speed to either create chances up ice or help cut off passes by getting his body in the right areas on the ice. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, he lacks consistency in his game, which often leaves fans wanting more from Texier as a player.

It will be interesting to see how well Texier starts the 2026-27 season with the Montreal Canadiens, as much like Zack Bolduc, whose role profile was discussed last Friday, he lacks consistency to be a high-end point producer at the NHL level. However, one area that Texier is sure to impress is in shootouts. He is an underrated shootout specialist who can surprise goaltenders with his incredible hands. One shootout goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs really stood out when analyzing Texier’s highlights from his first season in Montreal.

As for the rest of his game, he is expected to play primarily in a third- or fourth-line role while getting second power-play unit minutes yet again this season. Although he has what it takes to move up the lineups in the case of injuries or a player is struggling to perform. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Texier is used as a Swiss Army knife that can play up and down the lineup this upcoming season. 

Texier may have been hot and cold at times last season with the Montreal Canadiens, but the overall point pace of 15 goals and 38 points seems like a good prediction for his point totals if he can play all 84 games this upcoming season. A more realistic expectation would likely be for Texier to put up around 30 points while mainly playing third-line minutes. 

What are your predictions for Texier this upcoming season?