Habs Wrap: Matheson Extension, Texier Saga, Blais Waivers

MONTREAL — Every day brings more Montreal Canadiens news to be absorbed, and you’re bound to miss a story here and there. On Sundays, we recap the relevant NHL news stories you may have missed, to help you stay up to date with all things Habs.

Montreal Canadiens News

It’s official! French forward Alex Texier is the newest member of the organization. The 26-year-old signed a one-year, prorated deal, which carries a very reasonable $1 million cap hit. [Instant Analysis: Canadiens Impact Of Texier Signing]

The Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs renewed hostilities on Saturday night, in an exciting, anger-filled game that featured a healthy dose of goals, including two apiece from Josh Anderson and Noah Dobson. Once the dust had settled, the Habs emerged with a well-deserved 5-2 win, putting their five-game losing streak to bed in the process. Saturday’s match up was also Florian Xhekaj’s NHL debut, and all things considered, it’s fair to say he’s off to a very solid start to his Canadiens career. [Canadiens Highlights: Goals And Fights On Rivalry Night]

Speaking of the Xhekaj family, they took a fantastic picture on Saturday, though I’ve been told that Arber should be wearing socks with his sandals, which feels like the opposite of what I’ve been told about socks and sandals in the past, but I digress.

There was some very encouraging news from the farm, as both David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom enjoyed a fantastic game on Saturday afternoon versus the Belleville Senators. Reinbacher scored a pair of goals, while the smooth-skating Engstrom enjoyed a five-point game in the 7-2 win. The pair were also the authors of the scoring play that triggered the Teddy Bear toss, one of the best traditions in hockey.

Engstrom is set to join the Habs as they prepare for their upcoming road trip. The 22-year-old, puck-moving defenceman currently leads all Laval Rocket defencemen in scoring, with five goals and nine assists in 18 games. And given that the team would prefer he continues to absorb as much ice time as possible, the call-up suggests he’s likely to make his NHL debut in the near future.

A Montreal Canadiens prospect, playing in Russia, leading his KHL team in scoring as a rookie. That sounds awful familiar, doesn’t it? There’s no doubt about it, Alexander Zharovsky continues to enjoy an excellent season for Salavat.

Pierre LeBrun suggests the price tag for Nashville Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly would include a first-round pick and an A-level prospect. This is likely the return the Predators are looking for, but it remains to be seen if anyone around the league would be willing to pony up for a 34-year-old player. In a vacuum, O’Reilly would be a perfect fit for the Habs, as he’d significantly improve the centre situation, but general manager Kent Hughes rarely acquires players who are older than 27. [Canadiens Linked To Stamkos, O’Reilly A Better Target]

Where should the Canadiens use Adam Engstrom? If Martin St-Louis does not want to break up his first pairing, the options are limited. On the flip side, it may not be the worst time for a wholesale change in defensive pairings. [Finding A Defensive Pairing For Engstrom]

Nick Suzuki and Juraj Salfkovsky are among the top forwards in terms of their defensive impact. It’s not all that surprising to see Suzuki on the list, but Slafkovsky’s presence is an encouraging development. [Two Canadiens Players Among Top Defensive Forwards]

You may have heard newcomer Alex Texier is pretty good in shootouts. Based on exactly one shootout attempt at practice, I think it’s safe to say he may be able to help the Habs in that regard. His teammates were certainly impressed.

Montreal Victoire forward Marie Philip-Poulin is the first PWHL player to hit the 50-point mark!

The Habs and the Utah Mammoth faced off in a late game that featured a few lead changes. The Mammoth had four times more high-danger scoring chances, but thanks to Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov, the Canadiens managed to steal the win. It should also be noted that Suzuki reached, and passed the 400-point mark thanks to his three-point effort. [Canadiens Highlights: Suzuki And Demidov Secure Two Points]

Former Hab Samuel Blais has been placed on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Blais signed a one-year deal with the Canadiens during the summer, but was quickly claimed by the Leafs when they attempted to send him to the AHL. Due to the Canadiens injuries, not to mention the lack of offence from the bottom-six in the lineup, a waiver claim is a real possibility, especially since Blais brings a fair amount of truculence to the table. [Leafs Place Former Canadiens Forward Blais On Waivers]

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers were very interested in drafting Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj, to the point that they met with him on several occasions. Xhekaj was chosen in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL entry Draft, 101st overall.

The Panthers did not have many draft picks in 2023, which was clearly an advantage for the Habs. They only had one pick (63rd overall) before the Canadiens took Xhekaj’s name off the board.

It would also appear that the Ottawa Senators were interested in acquiring the feisty forward. According to Jérôme Bérubé, the Sens were going to select Xhekaj with their first pick of the draft, which was 108th overall.

In other words, it’s a good thing the Habs nabbed him with the 101st overall pick, as the Senators were ready to secure his rights.

Abby Roque may have scored the goal of the year for the Montreal Victoire, and the season is barely underway!

The Canadiens are on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, which doesn’t bode all that well for their playoff chances. On average, 75% of the teams in a playoff spot come American Thanksgiving will go on to punch their ticket to the springtime dance. In other words, the margin of error is razor-thin. With that in mind, head coach Martin St-Louis may want to reconsider the changes he made to the top six, as it essentially neutered the team’s only productive line at 5v5. [Canadiens Can Improve Playoff Odds With One Easy Change]

As expected, the Habs (re)claimed Samuel Blais off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Blais had originally signed a one-year deal with the Canadiens in the summer, but was plucked off waivers at the start of the season. The Canadiens immediately assigned Blais to the AHL, but he’s not expected to stay in Laval for long. [Canadiens Claim Blais Via NHL Waivers]

According to Renaud Lavoie, Alexandre Texier will likely make his Canadiens debut versus the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. If he does end up in the lineup, it will be his first taste of NHL action since November 6. [FR – TVA Sports]

Prospect Alexander Zharovsky continues to enjoy a fantastic rookie season in the AHL. He registered an assist in Salavat’s win over Barys on Thursday, pushing his season totals to seven goals and 11 assists in 22 games.

There was some relatively surprising news, as the Habs announced a five-year contract extension with defenceman Mike Matheson on Friday morning. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes tends to avoid signing older players, but there’s no denying Matheson brings an important veteran presence to the lineup, not to mention his ability to absorb some of the heaviest minutes in the NHL. [Instant Analysis: Matheson Contract Extension Provides Value]

The Canadiens were outshot versus the Vegas Golden Knights, but they won the all-important scoring-chance battle, which is an encouraging sign. Juraj Slafkovsky had one of his best games of the year, Cole Caufield celebrated American Thanksgiving in style, and Samuel Montembeault added a much-needed dose of confidence to the mix by stopping 30 of the 31 shots sent his way. [Canadiens Highlights: Giving Thanks For American Star Caufield]

Matheson, fresh off his new deal, also had a solid outing, including his perfect defending in the third period to strip the puck from Mitch Marner. The Jake Evans breakaway goal also led to Alexandre Texier registering his first point as a Hab!

Related Headlines

• Nichols’ Notes: Devils at Mercy; Quinn’s Control; Rangers Speechless

• Best and Worst Moments from Survivor Series: WarGames 2025

• Week 15 College Football Rankings: Projecting College Football Playoff Rankings after Rivalry Week