Another piece of the puzzle is ready to go.
The Blue Jackets announced Tuesday that center Alexandre Texier had been activated off injured reserve, meaning he will be ready to go once training camp – which is scheduled to open next week (July 10) – begins in Columbus.
Texier, 20, was in his first full NHL season after a standout performance at the end of 2018-19, particularly in the first-round Stanley Cup playoffs victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. He had six goals and 13 points in 36 games before a back injury suffered Dec. 31 vs. Florida sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season.
Here's what Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said about Texier in April, shortly after the NHL had paused its season due to COVID-19:
"This is a big part of our future, this kid. He's gonna be able to play (when the season resumes). I really do want to give him a chance at center ice. He's a big part of the future of this team."
Texier has 7-7-14 in 38 career regular season NHL games. He made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers on Apr. 5, 2019 and scored his first career goal at Ottawa the following night. He appeared in eight games in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, tallying 2-1-3.
