'He's elevated his game': How Alexandre Texier has earned larger role for Blue Jackets

SEATTLE — Six weeks ago, Alexandre Texier was just starting to find his footing in his new role.

After coming out of training camp as the center on the first line between Patrik Laine and Jakub Voracek, Texier quickly slipped down the line chart, eventually landing on the right wing of the fourth line with Eric Robinson on the other wing and Sean Kuraly in the middle. Texier immediately looked more comfortable with his new linemates, but the next question was if it would last.

Twenty games later, the answer is a resounding yes.

Texier scored just one goal in the first five games of the season and has eight goals and five assists since then, already exceeding his previous career-high in goals — six in 2019-20, his rookie season — and just one point away from equaling his career-best 15 points last season.

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Texier's resurgence

"I stopped thinking too much," Texier said. "Just play my game. I watched some tape, some video about my game, what should I do better. Now, I know how to play and I’m focused on playing the same game every single night. That’s the hardest part to do over 82 games, but that’s what I’m focused on."

In Thursday's game against Anaheim, Texier's resurgence was evident from his line's first shift of the game. He scored the Jackets' lone goal in regulation in emphatic fashion, firing a one-timer into a wide-open net created by Robinson's cross-ice feed.

After defenseman Adam Boqvist left the game with an upper-body injury, Texier joined the second power play unit — his first power play time since moving down the line chart.

When the game moved to overtime, Texier was in the second group of players that Columbus coach Brad Larsen sent over the boards. In the shootout, his name was called as the Jackets' second shooter.

Larsen's reasoning was simple. Texier had earned it.

"He’s elevated his game," Larsen said. "Sometimes, you’ve got to be patient and wait your turn. Scored again early. That’s a great play by that line to get us on the board early. With Bo going down, it was an opportunity to get him out there. He’s played on that side before in the past."

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Texier played 17:46 Thursday, his second-highest ice time of the season. Per Natural Stat Trick, his line led the Jackets in scoring chances with nine and was one of two lines to create more scoring chances than they gave up.

Speed is one of Texier's strongest attributes, and moving to play with Robinson and Kuraly — a line that plays straightforward, simple hockey — has unlocked his ability to use his speed and create chances. Texier is also one of the Jackets' regular penalty killers, a role that's equally predicated on speed.

Though this is the first season Texier has been a full-time penalty killer, he got a taste of playing on the penalty kill at the end of last season.

This season, Texier has taken things a step further and embraced the opportunity to create offense while shorthanded. He has scored one shorthanded goal, against Las Vegas on Nov. 20, and has had a multitude of other chances to score.

"With me, it’s all about confidence," Texier said. "When I have confidence, I will try to go, try to score. It’s always like that. When you feel good, something is going to happen."

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bjohnson@dispatch.com

@baileyajohnson_

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets: Alexandre Texier embracing larger role