Overview
- Texier cleared regular waivers, was assigned to AHL Springfield, then went on unconditional waivers and mutually terminated his Blues contract to become a free agent.
- Montreal finalized a one-year contract at $1 million on Sunday, a sharp drop from his previous $2.1 million AAV with St. Louis.
- Agent Dan Milstein said nine teams reached out and the choice narrowed to two Eastern Conference clubs before Texier opted for the Canadiens.
- The Canadiens pursued NHL-ready depth after injuries thinned their options at center, notably sidelining Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.
- Texier had one assist in eight games for St. Louis this season and has 40 goals and 51 assists in 240 NHL games, with his move reflecting a recent trend of players using terminations for fresh opportunities, as seen with David Kampf and Brandon Saad.