Marc Dumont
When the Montreal Canadiens announced sniper Cole Caufield was unable to face the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night, it was fairly evident which player the team would pick to return to the lineup.
Alex Texier, 26, made the most of his promotion, scoring a crucial game-tying goal late in the second period, via a strong individual effort which featured a well-timed wraparound.
It was just Texier’s second game since the Olympic break, and his first since February 26.
Alex Texier has 8 goals and 11 assists in 32 games for the #GoHabsGo, while averaging less than 13 minutes per game when he's not a healthy scratch. pic.twitter.com/1Cvrf5Zu2U
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) March 12, 2026
Long Term Impact
When looking at Texier’s impact since joining the Canadiens, it’s very difficult to ignore his excellent numbers.
In fact, Texier has done as well as any of the wingers who have spent time on the top line, with a strong argument to be made that he’s outplayed his counterparts, including Juraj Slafkovsky.
As you can see in the table embedded above, with Slafkovsky on the top line, Caufield and Nick Suzuki control almost 57% of the shots (CF), which is a fantastic result. However, once we take a look at their share of high-danger chances (HDCF), expected goals (xGF), and actual goals (GF), it becomes clear that Texier has done wonderful things when called upon by the Habs.
We must keep in mind the sample size is limited, though I’d argue that’s a factor that makes Texier’s great play even more impressive, as he’s had much less experience playing with the team’s best players.
The goal is not to suggest Slafkovsky should be removed from the first trio, nor is it to downplay his value to the Canadiens, but rather, to highlight Texier’s excellent play in a relatively difficult situation that includes little to no semblance of consistency in his usage.
The truth of the matter is that the Canadiens have an embarrassment of riches when we consider their offensive options. Very few teams can boast that they left a player who has scored eight goals and 11 assists in 32 games in the press box for long stretches of the schedule.
To put a fine point on Texier’s encouraging production rate, his 2.46 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5v5 places him between Ivan Demidov (2.62) and Cole Caufield (2.4), two players who are well known for being scoring threats each time they step onto the ice.
And while you’ll find very few contingency plans that match Texier’s impact, perhaps it’s time for the Canadiens to offer him a permanent spot in the lineup, as he’s done everything possible to earn ice time during his tenure with the Habs.
All Montreal Canadiens statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via Natural Stat Trick.
