Canadiens’ Alexandre Texier returns to lineup after missing two games
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that forward Alexandre Texier will be returning to the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Boston Bruins.
Texier et Xhekaj réintègreront la formation face aux Bruins. Veleno et Struble seront laissés de côté. Montembeault défendra le filet Texier and Xhekaj will return to the lineup against the Bruins. Veleno and Struble will skip their turn. Montembeault gets the start in goal
Texier had missed the last two games due to a lower-body injury. It wasn’t clear how he sustained the injury, but he was only considered to be out on a day-to-day basis.
The Canadiens won their first game without Texier, a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, but the other game on Thursday saw them lose 4-2 to the Buffalo Sabres.
Texier has had an excellent season since joining the Canadiens. After starting the year with the St. Louis Blues, he had just one assist in eight games before terminating his two-year contract with a $2.1 million cap hit to find a better opportunity elsewhere. He signed a one-year, $1 million contract with Montreal, and has since put up seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 27 games.
Texier’s performance also earned him a new two-year contract with the Canadiens, signing to a $2.5 million AAV.
The Canadiens also announced that defenseman Arber Xhekaj will return to the lineup for Saturday’s game. Xhekaj was not injured, but was just a healthy scratch for two games.
Xhekaj has one goal and one assist for two points in 45 games so far this season, the worst production rate in his career so far.
According to the projected lineups released in a statement by the Canadiens, Texier is set to return to the lineup on the top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, while Xhekaj will play on the bottom pair with Alexandre Carrier. Forward Joe Veleno and defenseman Jordan Struble will draw out of the lineup as healthy scratches in their places.
The Canadiens currently sit in third in the Atlantic Division with a 28-16-7 record. They’ll look to bounce back from their loss to the Sabres when they visit the Bruins in Boston on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.