Author: Dose

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Alexandre Texier’s arrival doesn’t solve the Habs’ problem at the center

Nick Suzuki, Oliver Kapanen, Jake Evans and Joe Veleno are the Canadiens’ four current center players.

And we agree: they’re not necessarily exceptional on paper.

The Habs signed forward Alexandre Texier to add depth to the lineup… but the Frenchman doesn’t solve the club’s center problem. And come to think of it, the Canadiens are one injury away from being in a bit of trouble.

Florian Xhekaj was recalled last week and can play center, too.

But still: the Canadiens will have to fix this situation, because it won’t work forever either. The club isn’t going to start being dominant overnight with a line of centers like this, and we know that Kent Hughes is actively looking for a guy who can help out in that area.

(Credit: Screenshot / Daily Faceoff)

The Canadiens’ problem at center isn’t new.

It’s been that way since Sean Monahan left, in fact, and the Habs have never been able to replace him. Kent Hughes tried to acquire a center this summer, and he’s still on the phone trying to remedy the situation… but it’s harder than you’d think too.

And the reason is simple: right now, there aren’t many center players available in the National League. Teams aren’t interested in parting with their players, and that makes the market a little complicated – and, above all, very expensive.

We know that Kent Hughes won’t empty the club to get a center, but we also know that he’s willing to overpay to help his team. You have to find a happy medium… but the important thing is to find a partner to dance with.

And that seems to be the Canadiens’ biggest problem right now.

Overtime

– Big deal in the OHL.

– I like the explanation.

– Absolument.

– Oh.

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Reinbacher: the Habs needed a right-hander, but recalled Engström before him anyway

The Canadiens needed to recall a defenseman before heading out West.

With Kaiden Guhle injured, there were only six healthy defensemen up top (Hutson, Matheson, Dobson, Carrier, Xhekaj and Struble) and they needed another guy with the team for the trip.

Adam Engström got the call yesterday. The Laval star deserved to be called back, and it’s a nice vote of confidence from the Canadiens, too.

Looking at the Canadiens’ blue-line roster, one thing stands out: Martin St-Louis’ lineup is missing a right-handed defenseman.

Dobson plays to Matheson’s right, Carrier plays to Xhekaj’s right… and the more versatile Hutson plays to Struble’s right.

That said, it would have been “logical” to recall David Reinbacher from Laval because he throws from the right too. There are factors to consider: the defender is coming back from injury, he hasn’t played much this season and he needs quality playing time to progress.

On the other hand, the fact that Engström went ahead of him and was recalled by the Canadiens in his place also speaks volumes. Engström is capable of playing on the right, but still.

At least Reinbacher (seven points in ten games) will have the opportunity to be the Rocket’s #1 defenseman in Engström’s absence. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing either, really.

It might have been too soon to recall Reinbacher from Laval.

Things are going well for him right now and it’s important to see him regain his confidence. He hasn’t played much in the last two years and still has a long way to go before becoming a regular player in the National League.

But I wonder how Reinbacher feels about Engström being called up before him. I just hope he doesn’t let it go to his head, because there are some rather special circumstances surrounding this recall.

Maybe it would have been different if Reinbacher had played every Rocket game since the start of the season…

Overtime

– It’s coming!

– He’s having a superb season.

– Read on.

– Great news.

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Alexandre Texier turned down a better offer to come to Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens have just added an intriguing piece to their roster. Alexandre Texier, a 26-year-old French forward, has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the organization. A very reasonable, almost modest contract… but behind this figure lies a much more revealing story.

According to journalist Nicolas Cloutier, Texier had a better offer on the table. More money. A better contract. The kind of deal many players would have taken without much thought. Yet he chose something else: Montreal.

And not just Montreal… but Montreal now, in the particular context where Alex Newhook’s injury opens up an opportunity in the middle of the top 9 and maybe even top 6.

“I’m told Texier had a better offer on the table, but he turned down more money to come to Montreal. There was a great opportunity for him with Newhook’s injury. Three teams were finalists, but we judged MTL to be the best casting.” – Nicolas Cloutier

The important word: casting.

Texier doesn’t come here to cash in. He comes here because he sees a clear role, an immediate opening. A window he might not have had in other organizations. Newhook’s injury opens the breach he’s been waiting for.

This detail changes everything. We’re not talking about a passive addition: we’re talking about a player who believes he can carve out a real place for himself. And he wants to do it now.

According to Nicolas Cloutier, Texier will be available to face the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. No long transition or adaptation period in his case. He just shows up, signs and gets dressed. Montreal will surely get a very quick first look at his versatility, speed and ability to play both sides of the puck.

What stands out most in this case is not the quality of player he is, but the human choice behind the signing. At a time when the Habs are still no Stanley Cup contenders and Montreal isn’t the easiest environment, he chose fit over profit.

The gamble is simple for the French player. In Montreal, he can have a clear role and an immediate opportunity, so it’s the best place to relaunch his career. Above all, he can play very well at a numerical disadvantage.

And if all goes as he thinks it will… Montreal could become much more than a good casting, but rather his home for many years to come.

overtime

– What a goal from Beck Malestyn!

– La Victoire de Montréal starts the season with a loss.

– Mikko Rantanen suspended one game after checking Matt Coronato.

– Alexandar Georgiev has been placed in the bollotage and will join Spartak Moscow.

– Adam Fantilli could break the bank in a matter of days.

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Alexandre Texier isn’t the bravest: that’s why Jim Montgomery didn’t like him

Alexandre Texier doesn’t arrive in Montreal as the man who’s going to save the Canadiens.

We’re talking about a player who has his qualities and who is well known within the organization: Martin St-Louis and Pascal Vincent worked with him in Columbus, and they know what kind of guy he is on and off the ice.

That probably helped Kent Hughes make his decision. We know that the Canadiens’ GM doesn’t hesitate to talk to his people to find out more about a player…

That said, the Canadiens have a “problem” of late, and we saw it last week against the Capitals. There’s a bit of sandpaper missing from the line-up if Florian Xhekaj is removed… and Texier isn’t going to help there either.

Renaud Lavoie said it this morning on BPM Sports: Texier isn’t known for being the “bravest” player on the ice. He’s not the guy who’s going to hit the opposition in the corner, and you can’t expect the Frenchman to become a physical player overnight.

This explains why Jim Montgomery didn’t like him much in St. Louis, according to Renaud Lavoie. Montgomery likes a player who’s a dog… and Texier doesn’t fit into that category.

Personally, I can’t wait to see what role the former Blue Jackets and Blues forward will play.

Will he be given a place on one of the two shorthanded waves? Texier has speed, and even if he’s seen as more of an offensive player, he could use his speed to create things…

It also makes you wonder when we’ll see him play his first game with the Canadiens. Reminder: Jared Davidson hurt himself in the third period on Saturday night… and that may open the door to attack.

But if Davidson is able to play on Wednesday, we can expect the lineup to remain intact against the Mammoth. I find it hard to see Martin St-Louis changing his line-up after the club’s fine win over the Leafs, and I can’t see Florian Xhekaj or Davidson coming out of the line-up if they’re healthy.

Because there’s really no rush for Texier. The Habs might want to give him a few practices to help him acclimatize to his new environment, and that would make sense in a way.

Especially since he’s only played eight games this season with the Blues…

(Credit: Screenshot / HockeyDB)

There are questions to be asked, then, with the arrival of Alexandre Texier.

The forward will be at team practice this morning(Renaud Lavoie confirmed it yesterday on X) and we’ll have more answers to our questions soon.

Will he play short-handed? Will he be used in the Canadiens’ top-9? When will he play his first game in the blue, white and red? Will Martin St-Louis be able to trust him in certain situations?

I’ll be curious to hear what the players have to say about the Frenchman’s arrival. Because sometimes, it says a lot about how they see the player in question…

Overtime

– Happy Birthday!

– Ouch.

– Happy reading.

– He’d be proud.

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Top-5: Leafs in last place in the East this morning

There were only six games presented in the National League on Sunday.

But it wasn’t a quiet day.

Let’s find out what happened:

1: Things aren’t going well for the Leafs

Yesterday afternoon, the Sabres took on the Hurricanes at home.

And it was the Sabres who won the game by a score of 4-1. Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson scored a goal apiece to help their club come away with the W.

That said…

With Buffalo’s victory, the Leafs are now in last place in the Eastern standings. Yes, you read that right:

The Leafs have lost seven of their last eight games, and it really looks like the ship is sinking in Toronto.

You’ll tell me the standings are really tight – and I’ll tell you you’re right – but… still.

Expectations were high for the Leafs, and clearly, the loss of Mitch Marner is hurting the Queen City more than anyone could have imagined :

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

2: Jesper Wallsted is unbeatable

Jesper Wallsted is on fire. Really on fire.

Prior to yesterday’s game, the Wild goaltender had recorded two shutouts in his last three starts. And you guessed it: yesterday, Wallsted once again managed to blank his opponent.

Wild’s 3-0 win over the Jets :

In his last four games, Wallsted has allowed an average of 0.75 goals per game… and has an efficiency rate of .978.

Wow!

The Wild goalie is really establishing himself as one of the best in the league. We knew he had enormous potential… and we’re seeing it right now.

He’s one of the players to watch in the National League, at the time of writing.

3: Morgan Geekie is having quite a season

Things are going better than we thought for the San Jose Sharks. They were able to beat the Bruins 3-1 last night, and Macklin Celebrini stood out with a goal and an assist.

The Sharks’ star scored a sublime goal, by the way:

Morgan Geekie was the Bruins’ one and only scorer in the game. And it’s worth mentioning… because he’s now scored 17 goals so far this season.

He’s tied with Nathan MacKinnon atop the NHL scoring charts, and no one could have predicted that before the start of the campaign.

At least, I didn’t have that on my bingo card…

4: Flames find their rhythm

The Flames were visiting Vancouver last night, and the Canucks didn’t mess around with the puck.

It took just 65 seconds before they scored the game’s first goal:

But… that goal seemed to whip Calgary’s lineup into a frenzy, as they went on to score five unanswered goals in the game.

Blake Coleman scored his team’s fifth, and in fine style at that. He now has 300 career points in the National Hockey League:

The Flames won by a score of 5-2, making it three wins in a row.

It’s Calgary’s best streak of the season. Now, it remains to be seen whether the Flames can build on it to get back on track…

5: Who will beat the Avalanche?

Nathan MacKinnon and Connor Bedard had a duel on their hands last night.

But it was Cale Makar who came out on top, scoring his 9th goal of the campaign. He’s good:

Makar was the only scorer in the game: Scott Wedgewood stopped all 22 shots he faced to earn the shutout… and he sent a pretty clear message to Team Canada’s Olympic leaders in the process.

He wants to make the club.

The Avalanche now have a 16-1-5 record since the start of the season. The club is virtually unbeatable in regulation time… and that’s a sight to behold.

Extension

– Wow.

– Top scorers of the evening :

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

– Seven games tonight :

(Credit: Screenshot / Google)
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Alexandre Texier arrives: now it’s up to him to prove he belongs to the group

Some signatures are discreet. Others immediately change the climate around a team. The arrival of Alexandre Texier, signed on November 23, clearly falls into the second category.

Texier will be in practice from November 24. If he follows the established plan, he could play his first game with Montreal on November 26 against the Utah Mammoths.

Texier has not started the season in Montreal. He arrives with 21 games already played, in a team that already has its rhythm, its trios, its habits and its areas of uncertainty. This reality has transformed his arrival. It’s not a smooth integration, it’s an audition in real time.

And the timing is not insignificant. The Canadiens recently lost a 4-3 shootout to the Blue Jackets. Another opportunity lost on a recurring weakness.

This is precisely where a detail becomes relevant. Texier is known to be effective in shootouts. Many observers have pointed this out. He has deft hands and the patience to outwit a goalie in one-on-one situations. There’s no guarantee he’ll become the Canadiens’ number-one shooter, but he’s clearly another string to the Habs’ bow.

Texier plays mainly on the wing, not at center. An important detail, since Montreal hasn’t solved its lack of depth at center with this signing. On the other hand, he brings something else to the table: speed, the ability to play in transition and a style that fits well with an offensive top-9 that is still seeking its true identity.

His style of play may not appeal to everyone. He’s not a spectacular player at every turn. But despite this, the addition is seen as a good deal for the Canadiens. Given the cost, the flexibility of the position and the profile, this signing represents a smart bet: low risk, real potential.

On the other hand, Texier arrives on a team where no one is going to give up a place for him. He’ll have to impose himself through his intensity, consistency and ability to influence the game.

If he succeeds, he could become a regular top-9 player, an option in the shootout, a useful element in the power play, and a complementary profile in an attack that is still seeking its definitive shape.

If he fails to impose his game, the experience will be short-lived.

Texier doesn’t arrive to observe. He arrives to convince. And it all starts now.

overtime

– Unstoppable domination.

– When the legend is expensive.

– A long absence to swallow.


– An unexpected departure?

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Florian Xhekaj takes inspiration from Tom Wilson: he’ll need it with Alexandre Texier around

When Florian Xhekaj says he wants to model his style on Tom Wilson’s, it’s not a phrase thrown around lightly. It’s a direction, almost a personal and professional commitment. Wilson isn’t just a tough player: he hits, he provokes, he changes the atmosphere of a match and he contributes offensively.

And if Xhekaj wants to make a lasting mark, this physically dominant but offensively useful hybrid profile is probably the right model.

In a short clip shared by L’Antichambre on Instagram, Xhekaj explains his intention: to become that “hard to face” player, the one you notice even when he’s not touching the puck. This phrase echoes an observation already made by the organization: Xhekaj has the physical tools and the mentality, but now he needs to add control, consistency and a credible offensive contribution.

Tom Wilson has built his reputation on a rare duality: he can score 20 goals a season, while being one of the most physical players in the NHL. It’s not just an identity, it’s a unique role. Xhekaj has never hidden his admiration for this type of versatile forward, capable of commanding respect through his presence, his checking, but also through his ability to make opponents pay on the scoreboard.

However, taking inspiration from Wilson comes with a challenge: knowing how to choose your moments, hitting without hurting the team, contributing without overdoing it, and learning how to become a player who destabilizes… without putting himself out of commission.

And this is where Alexandre Texier comes in, the other implicit protagonist of the title. Texier is not a physical player. Nor is he an agitator. He’s a fast, intelligent, creative player, capable of generating offense and occupying a chair that many youngsters covet: that of the regular top-9.

And the competition is not theoretical. As Renaud Lavoie confirmed on X, Texier will be at practice tomorrow. A piece of information that adds weight to the context and reminds us that things are going to be played out quickly, on the ice and not in the projections.

Texier doesn’t play the same style as Xhekaj, but both covet a similar space on a formation: that of a player capable of creating momentum.

And as Xhekaj was yesterday’s most recent addition to the squad, he (and Jared Davidson) are likely to make way for Texier, if necessary, ahead of Wednesday’s game.

The competition isn’t head-on, but it does exist: the coach will always be looking for a forward capable of influencing a match, whether through physical presence or offensive creation. And that’s where the title phrase comes into its own: if Xhekaj wants to stay in the conversation, he’ll have to offer more than just spectacular checking.

Since the start of the season, we’ve seen a player who is more disciplined, more patient with the puck and, above all, more committed to the details of the game. His reads seem more fluid, his decisions less impulsive. If he is to continue on this trajectory, he will need to limit avoidable penalties, increase his goal production and maintain a robust style without crossing the line.

These adjustments are essential if he is to go from “promising physical player” to “hard-to-replace part”.

Ultimately, if Florian Xhekaj really wants to embody this modern version of the rugged forward, inspired by Tom Wilson, he’ll have to prove it night after night – especially with a player like Alexandre Texier around, ready to take on space and responsibility.

This internal duel isn’t a threat, it’s a driving force. In a league where space has to be earned, Xhekaj seems ready to fight for it.

overtime

– What will the Preds do?

– Will the Blues make a move?

– A name to watch.

– Interesting.

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Alexandre Texier turned down a better offer to come to Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens have just added an intriguing piece to their roster. Alexandre Texier, a 26-year-old French forward, has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the organization. A very reasonable, almost modest contract… but behind this figure lies a much more revealing story.

According to journalist Nicolas Cloutier, Texier had a better offer on the table. More money. A better contract. The kind of deal many players would have taken without much thought. Yet he chose something else: Montreal.

And not just Montreal… but Montreal now, in the particular context where Alex Newhook’s injury opens up an opportunity in the middle of the top 9 and maybe even top 6.

“I’m told Texier had a better offer on the table, but he turned down more money to come to Montreal. There was a great opportunity for him with Newhook’s injury. Three teams were finalists, but we judged MTL to be the best casting.” – Nicolas Cloutier

The important word: casting.

Texier doesn’t come here to cash in. He comes here because he sees a clear role, an immediate opening. A window he might not have had in other organizations. Newhook’s injury opens the breach he’s been waiting for.

This detail changes everything. We’re not talking about a passive addition: we’re talking about a player who believes he can carve out a real place for himself. And he wants to do it now.

According to Nicolas Cloutier, Texier will be available to face the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. No long transition or adaptation period in his case. He just shows up, signs and gets dressed. Montreal will surely get a very quick first look at his versatility, speed and ability to play both sides of the puck.

What stands out most in this case is not the quality of player he is, but the human choice behind the signing. At a time when the Habs are still no Stanley Cup contenders and Montreal isn’t the easiest environment, he chose fit over profit.

The gamble is simple for the French player. In Montreal, he can have a clear role and an immediate opportunity, so it’s the best place to relaunch his career.

And if all goes as he thinks it will… Montreal could become much more than a good casting, but rather his home for many years to come.

overtime

– What a goal from Beck Malestyn!

– La Victoire de Montréal like the season with a loss.

– Mikko Rantanen suspended one game after checking Matt Coronato.

– Alexandar Georgiev has been shipped out and will join Spartak Moscow.

– Adam Fantilli could break the bank in a matter of days.

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Adam Engstrom recalled by the Canadiens

Big day in town.

While the Canadiens announced the signing of Alexandre Texier on a one-year contract, another major piece of news was announced by the Habs.

Adam Engstrom has been recalled by the club.

Since it wasn’t Marc Del Gaizo who was recalled, one has to wonder what the plan is. After all, Engstrom surely wasn’t recalled to stay in the stands. Right?

Arber Xhekaj(especially following the arrival of his brother) and Jayden Struble are at risk of skipping their turn.

Details to follow…

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Alexandre Texier agrees with the Canadiens

It didn’t take long.

Dan Milstein, Alexandre Texier’s agent, confirmed that his client had signed a one-season deal with the Canadiens. As expected…

Pierre LeBrun talks about a $1 million contract.

Details to come…