Alexandre Texier went from a two-year contract carrying a $2.1 million annual average value with the St. Louis Blues to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Montreal Canadiens in less than a week. The Blues announced the termination on November 23, 2025 (St. Louis Blues/NHL.com), and Montreal signed him the same day. Here is the timeline, the salary breakdown, and what his early Canadiens numbers show.
Last checked: 2026-10-04
Current Team: Montreal Canadiens · Acquisition Date: November 23, 2025 · Contract: Signed one-year deal after Blues termination; later 2-year, $2.5M AAV extension · Career Highlight: Three-point game on January 8, 2026
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-04.
Sources reviewed: Official NHL team releases, independent hockey journalism from The Hockey News and theScore, French regional media, a player agent announcement, and fan analysis sites.
We did not conduct on-ice observation, interview Texier or team management, or independently confirm the Canadiens’ official signing release in our source set.
Alexandre Texier at a Glance
- Montreal Canadiens; signed as a free agent on November 23, 2025 (theScore)
- November 23, 2025 — the same day the Blues announced the contract termination (St. Louis Blues/NHL.com)
- One year, $1 million, reported on November 23, 2025 (Montreal Canadiens/NHL.com)
- 8 games, 1 assist with St. Louis (The Hockey News)
Key Facts: Contract and Career
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current Team | Montreal Canadiens |
| Acquisition Date | November 23, 2025 |
| Montreal Contract | One year, reported $1 million |
| Extension | Two years, $2.5 million AAV (2026-2028) |
| Previous Contract | Two years, $4.2 million total with St. Louis ($2.1 million AAV) |
| St. Louis Tenure | 39 games, 6 goals, 6 assists |
| 2025-26 Pre-Termination | 8 games, 1 assist |
| Career Highlight This Season | Three-point game on January 8, 2026 (1 goal, 2 assists) |
| Agent | Dan Milstein |
What Happened to Alexandre Texier?
Texier was in the final season of a two-year contract with St. Louis worth $4.2 million total, at a $2.1 million annual average value (The Hockey News). The Blues had acquired him from the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 28, 2024, in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick, per the Blues’ release (St. Louis Blues/NHL.com). He then went from the active roster to waivers to Montreal in a matter of days.
Texier will thus earn a fresh start elsewhere.
The Hockey News
Contract Termination with St. Louis Blues
Around November 20-21, 2025, Texier was placed on regular waivers. He cleared, and the Blues assigned him to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL (The Hockey News). Texier did not report to Springfield, and the Blues then placed him on unconditional waivers to end the contract (The Hockey News).
Signing with Montreal Canadiens
After clearing unconditional waivers, Texier became an unrestricted free agent and could choose his next NHL team. Le Dauphiné Libéré reported that Montreal and Ottawa were both interested before the termination was finalized (Le Dauphiné Libéré). Montreal completed the signing: the Canadiens added Texier on a one-year, reported $1 million contract on November 23, 2025, with agent Dan Milstein announcing the agreement on social media.
Lineup Status and Performance
Since joining Montreal, Texier has been a regular lineup piece rather than a waiver pickup parked in the press box. On January 8, 2026, he posted three points in a single game with one goal and two assists. The Canadiens later signed him to a two-year extension worth $2.5 million per season for 2026-2028.
The bottom line: The waiver-and-termination sequence reset Texier’s contract and his address, but his Montreal production will decide whether the move reads as a career save or a change of scenery.
Is Alexandre Texier a Good Player?
Texier’s case rests on usage as much as scoring. In 39 games with St. Louis he recorded six goals and six assists, per the Blues’ release (St. Louis Blues/NHL.com), and in eight games before the termination he had one assist, per The Hockey News (The Hockey News). The more telling numbers are his zone-start percentages in 2025-26.
2025-26 Season Stats
Before the termination, Texier had one assist in eight games. His Montreal sample includes a three-point game on January 8, 2026, with one goal and two assists.
- Defensive Zone Start Percentage: 40.7% (NHL average 40.1%)
- Neutral Zone Start Percentage: 17.5% (NHL average 16.8%)
- Offensive Zone Start Percentage: 41.9% (NHL average 43.1%)
- Points in a Single Game (Jan 8, 2026): 3 (1 goal, 2 assists)
- Contract Extension AAV: $2.5 million per year (2026-2028)
Zone Start Percentages
Texier starts 40.7% of his shifts in the defensive zone, nearly identical to the league-average 40.1%. His neutral-zone starts run slightly above average at 17.5% versus 16.8%, and his offensive-zone starts sit below average at 41.9% versus 43.1%.
Comparison to League Averages
The gap between his offensive-zone start rate and the league average is about 1.2 percentage points. That appears to be a small but real signal that Montreal deploys him in a two-way role rather than a sheltered scoring role. The three-point game on January 8, 2026 suggests he can produce when offensive opportunities arrive.
What to watch: Whether Texier’s production catches up to his usage. The zone-start data suggests coaching trust in his defensive work; the scoring column will show whether that trust converts into offense.
Why Did the Blues Terminate the Texier Contract?
The termination was a contractual mechanism triggered by a refusal to report, not a misconduct case. Texier cleared regular waivers, declined the Springfield assignment, and the Blues used unconditional waivers to dissolve the remaining term of his deal. Reporting from theScore described the termination as mutual rather than a unilateral dismissal (theScore).
Public Statements
St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has terminated the contract of forward Alexandre Texier.
St. Louis Blues official release
That release, published on the Blues’ official site, gave the date and the decision but not a reason. Neither Texier nor the club provided a detailed public explanation at the time.
Personal Reasons (Unconfirmed)
No public statement from Texier explains why he declined the AHL assignment. The available reporting does not establish his personal reasoning, and the exact amount of salary he forfeited by leaving the final year of the St. Louis deal has not been confirmed. What is known: the contract carried a $2.1 million annual average value, per The Hockey News (The Hockey News), while the reported Montreal salary is $1 million.
The catch: The public record explains the process but not the motive. Unless Texier or the Blues add details, the termination remains a transaction with an unstated personal backstory.
What Is Alexandre Texier’s Salary with the Montreal Canadiens?
Texier’s Montreal salary starts at a reported $1 million for the remainder of 2025-26, then rises to a $2.5 million annual average value on a two-year extension covering 2026-2028.
One-Year Contract Value
The initial deal was reported as one year at $1 million, announced on the day the Blues terminated his previous contract. The figure comes from agent Dan Milstein’s social media announcement, tracked by The Hockey News, and from theScore’s reporting (theScore).
Two-Year Extension Value
The extension, which runs through 2028, resets Texier’s value at $2.5 million per season.
The trade-off: Texier took a reported pay cut for the rest of this season in exchange for a longer commitment at a higher AAV than his previous deal. The one-year structure let Montreal test him cheaply; the extension suggests the test produced results.
Alexandre Texier: Key Attributes and Contract Details
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| Current Team | Montreal Canadiens |
| Acquired by St. Louis | June 28, 2024, from Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 fourth-round pick |
| St. Louis Contract | Two years, $4.2 million total ($2.1 million AAV) |
| St. Louis Stats | 39 games, 6 goals, 6 assists |
| 2025-26 Pre-Termination | 8 games, 1 assist |
| Termination Date | November 23, 2025 |
| Montreal Signing | November 23, 2025 (one year, reported $1 million) |
| Montreal Extension | Two years, $2.5 million AAV (2026-2028) |
| Agent | Dan Milstein |
Alexandre Texier: Key Dates
- — St. Louis acquires Texier from Columbus for a 2025 fourth-round pick.
- — Texier clears regular waivers and is assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
- — The Blues place Texier on unconditional waivers to terminate the contract.
- — The Blues announce the termination; Montreal signs Texier to a one-year, reported $1 million deal.
- — Texier records three points (1 goal, 2 assists) for Montreal.
Texier Then vs. Texier Now
St. Louis and Montreal represent two different auditions for the same player. In St. Louis, Texier worked from the roster’s edge; the club placed him on waivers in November, and he produced one assist in eight games before the termination. In Montreal, he has played a more visible role and delivered a three-point game on January 8, 2026.
| Dimension | St. Louis | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Contract context | $2.1 million AAV, final season | Reported $1 million one-year deal, then $2.5 million AAV extension |
| Production sample | 6 goals, 6 assists in 39 games | Three points on January 8, 2026; regular lineup role |
| Roster signal | Cleared waivers; assigned to Springfield | Signed as free-agent choice; two-year commitment |
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Texier’s 2025-26 Season: Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Three-point game on January 8, 2026 points to offensive upside. | Produced 6 goals and 6 assists in 39 games with St. Louis. |
| Defensive-zone start rate near league average suggests coaching trust. | Recorded 1 assist in 8 games before the termination. |
| Reported $1 million cap hit gives Montreal roster flexibility. | Offensive-zone start rate (41.9%) sits below league average (43.1%). |
| Two-year, $2.5 million AAV extension appears to signal organizational commitment. | Public reasons for declining the Springfield assignment remain unstated. |
Our Verdict: What the Reset Means
For Montreal Canadiens fans: The team added a forward with NHL experience for a reported $1 million, without giving up trade assets, and secured him on a two-year extension at $2.5 million per season.
For NHL trade analysts: The sequence shows how unconditional waivers can function as a release valve when a player and club reach an impasse, letting the player pick his next team rather than waiting for a trade.
For fantasy hockey players: Texier’s near-league-average zone starts and January 8 three-point game make him a depth option worth monitoring, not a core roster piece.
thehockeynews.com, en.wikipedia.org, cbssports.com, yardbarker.com, cbssports.com, heavy.com, sportsnet.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the St. Louis Blues terminate Alexandre Texier’s contract?
The Blues placed Texier on unconditional waivers after he declined to report to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. The team announced the termination on November 23, 2025, and reporting from theScore described the move as mutual.
How much does Alexandre Texier make with the Montreal Canadiens?
Texier signed a one-year, reported $1 million contract on November 23, 2025, then agreed to a two-year extension with a $2.5 million annual average value covering the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.
What were Alexandre Texier’s statistics with the St. Louis Blues?
Texier played 39 regular-season games for St. Louis, recording six goals and six assists. In the 2025-26 season before his termination, he appeared in eight games and recorded one assist.
Who is Alexandre Texier’s agent?
Texier’s agent is Dan Milstein, who announced the Montreal agreement through social media, according to reporting by The Hockey News.
What is Alexandre Texier’s best game of the 2025-26 season so far?
On January 8, 2026, Texier recorded three points in a single game for Montreal, with one goal and two assists.
Sources Cited
- St. Louis Blues/NHL.com — Blues Terminate Contract of Texier
- Montreal Canadiens/NHL.com — Canadiens Sign Alexandre Texier to One-Year Contract
- The Hockey News — Blues Forward Clears Unconditional Waivers, Becomes Unrestricted Free Agent
- The Hockey News — Blues Put Forward on Unconditional Waivers to Terminate Contract
- theScore — Texier Signs 1-Year Deal with Habs After Terminating Blues Contract
- Le Dauphiné Libéré — Revirement de situation pour Alexandre Texier
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