Alexandre Texier's extension drew side-eye in Montreal last year. This morning, the Canadiens forward was back at the center of the conversation.
Anthony Martineau put a question about No. 85 to Martin St-Louis ahead of tonight's puck drop against the Sabres. The timing makes sense for a roster that keeps losing bodies.
Ivan Demidov is on IR with a lower-body injury and isn't expected back until at least Oct 31. Florian Xhekaj is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue.
Somebody has to plug those holes. Martineau's case for the Frenchman is simple: very few players at his salary can handle every role a coach hands them.
Texier carries a $2.5 million cap hit. Alex Newhook costs more and has already gone minus-3 through the opening stretch.
The offensive output is modest so far, with no goals and two assists. One of those helpers came on the power play, which backs up the idea that he can slide onto either unit.
Martineau also called him a first-rate shootout option. And that matters for a club whose last win was a 1-0 shootout over Detroit on Saturday night.
"Some people thought the contract extension offered to Alexandre Texier last year was too hasty.
But honestly, there aren't that many players who, at Texier's salary, can excel in every role they're assigned.
The Frenchman can step in on literally any line and make a meaningful impact, just as he can play on both power-play units and perform well.
He's also a top-notch player in shootouts.
A player like this is incredibly valuable, both for managing the payroll and for a coach."
Ivan Demidov injury puts Canadiens depth to the test
Calling that extension hasty misses the point entirely. Kent Hughes paid for a fill-in who can actually fill in, and those guys rarely come this cheap.
Think of him as the spare key under the doormat. Nobody brags about owning one, but you're awfully grateful the night you're stuck outside.
Montreal needs that kind of insurance right now. The Canadiens sit 2-2-1 and are giving up 3.8 goals per game.
The crease is stretched too. Samuel Montembeault is on IR until at least Oct 20, leaving Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes to carry the load.
Fowler has been the steadier of the two, with a .938 save percentage and a shutout already on his ledger.
So where does Texier fit against a Buffalo club that beat Florida 5-3 on Monday? Wherever St-Louis needs him. That's the whole sales pitch.
St-Louis also spoke this morning about Zachary Bolduc's progression since arriving in Montreal. Bolduc has three goals, one on the power play, and he's soaking up the spotlight.
Washington waits Wednesday on the back end of a back-to-back. Versatility keeps Texier in the lineup, but the critics won't go quiet until he finds his first goal.
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Was Kent Hughes right to extend Alexandre Texier before he'd proven himself in Montreal?
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