Alexandre Texier on the first line: a message to Zachary Bolduc

Vincent Larue
Alexandre Texier on the first line: a message to Zachary Bolduc
Credit: Zachary Bolduc does not deserve the praise he is currently receiving.

The Canadiens dropped a game they could have won, after a fine third-period comeback. A 5-4 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a duel where every point counts, especially with the standings so close.

And while the Habs came away with something at the end of the night, it was Martin St-Louis' precise decision in the third period that really caught the eye.

Because no, the first line doesn't work well at 5-on-5, and at some point, when it doesn't, you have to try something else.

That's exactly what Martin St-Louis did when he removed Zachary Bolduc from the first line and installed Alexandre Texier alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. It was an adjustment that didn't go unnoticed, especially considering that Bolduc had been in that chair for several games without really taking advantage of the opportunity.

The message is clear. A place on the first line has to be earned.

After the game, the Canadiens' head coach explained that it wasn't a question of targeting a single player, but of provoking something. According to him, Texier brings an excellent hockey IQ, reads the game well, and has a good stick capable of winning important battles. Details that Suzuki's line has lacked for some time, especially at even strength.

Here's the post-match conference:

It wasn't necessarily a direct rebuke of the Québécois forward, but it was clearly a signal. And in the NHL, when your coach removes your name from the first line, next to those of Suzuki and Caufield, you figure it out pretty quickly.

Some may wonder why Juraj Salfkovsky isn't being considered. The answer is simple. His line rolls like never before. They produce, physically dominate, and play great hockey. There's no question of breaking up a unit that's working to try and fix one that's struggling.

Alexandre Texier didn't single-handedly transform the line, but there was more rhythm, more structure, and more consistency in the little details. These are often the elements that make the difference in 5-on-5.

The Canadiens ultimately lost in a shootout, but this decision could have a far greater impact than on the outcome of the game. Bolduc now knows exactly where he stands. And Texier may have just bought himself more than just a tryout on the first line, because, let's be honest, if you take away the second line, there aren't many candidates left to fill that position.


overtime

– Jonathan Quick is having quite a season.

Québécois Justin Brazeau completes his first career NHL hat trick.

– What a sequence by defenseman Simon Edvinsson who blocks a second shot, even though he was injured on the first.

– Mathew Barzal is ejected from the game after swinging a stick at Mason Marchment, who had just checked Matthew Schaefer.

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