Alexandre Texier’s time with the St. Louis Blues has come to an end. On Saturday, St. Louis placed the 26-year-old forward on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, a move that came one day after he cleared regular waivers and the team reassigned him to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. This move concludes Texier’s final season under his two-year, $2.1 million-per-year deal, which he signed with the Blues in June 2024 after his rights were traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
With Texier now set to become an unrestricted free agent, multiple teams have expressed interest in his services. Nine NHL teams have shown interest, but the decision is narrowing to two Eastern Conference clubs, per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Dan Milstein, Texier’s agent, will hold discussions with two teams on Sunday once Texier officially becomes a free agent, according to LeBrun.
The Montreal Canadians appear to be the frontrunner, as the Canadiens look to plug their depleted centre depth following injuries to Kirby Dach (fractured foot) and Alex Newhook (ankle surgery). While Texier is not a natural faceoff specialist, his speed, playmaking ability, and left-handed shot could provide Montreal with a flexible option down the middle or on the wing.
Montreal could potentially finalize a deal as early as 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, offering a fresh start for the French forward after a challenging start to the season.
Texier’s 2025-26 campaign had a slow start, appearing in only eight of St. Louis’ first 21 games. He recorded a single assist against the Vancouver Canucks on October 13, while holding an even plus/minus and two penalty minutes. His average ice time of 10:15 was the lowest of his seven-year NHL career. This followed a 2024-25 season in which he played just 31 regular-season games, netting six goals and collecting five assists for 11 points, and appeared in three of the Blues’ seven first-round playoff games against the Winnipeg Jets, adding one assist.
Over 240 career NHL games split between Columbus and St. Louis, Texier has recorded 40 goals, 51 assists, 91 points, and 94 penalty minutes, along with eight points in 21 postseason contests.
