That last line was delivered with a smile on his face, a common sight this fall for Texier, whose return to the Blue Jackets has been one of the most welcomed storylines of training camp, presented by OhioHealth. Texier was off to an excellent start during the 2021-22 season, cementing himself as a consistent impact player at the NHL level, when a finger injury ended his campaign, and circumstances back home in France pushed Texier to return to his native country for the rest of that season.
Texier wanted to stay closer to home last year, as well, and the Blue Jackets obliged, loaning him to the ZSC Lions in Zurich, Switzerland. Eventually, Texier felt ready to return this spring, and it seems obvious he’s having a good time now that he’s back with the team with whom he’s already played four NHL seasons.
“I think you can see it on my face, when I’m smiling, just having fun and enjoying the time,” Texier said. “I’ve been here this summer and came early to get used to the players, staff and everybody. It was great. I feel good.”
The Blue Jackets have welcomed Texier back with open arms, and it’s easy to see why. He brings just about everything to the table, from size (6-1, 194) to versatility (he can play center and wing, as well as on the power play and penalty kill) to skill. He’s likely not ever gonna be a 50-goal scorer, as he said, but Texier can contribute offensively and make everyone around him better, as evidenced by the stretch in 2021-22 when he posted a 9-9-18 line in 22 games before his injury.
“He’s another piece that allows our lineup to be a little more competitive,” said Sean Kuraly, who was linemates with Texier during that stretch. “Tex is one of those guys that he’s not a young kid anymore. He has a lot of skill and he can finish and he can wow you in some ways. He does a lot of things well. He’s a really smart player.
“I love playing with him, and I know the team as a whole is really excited to have Tex back. It’s just a fun guy to see in the locker room, and when you see these extra pieces that we were missing last year come back around, it’s a good feeling as a team.”
Texier also put his time last year in Switzerland to good use. On a team with a number of former NHLers including CBJ alums Dean Kukan and Mikko Lehtonen, Texier posted 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 46 games. On top of that, Texier said he learned a lot about his body and how to take care of it, including better eating and sleep habits, then added muscle in the offseason.
“It was huge,” Texier said. “It was my decision, and now I am moving on. But I learned a lot about myself, my body and a lot of things off the ice, and obviously some stuff on the ice, too, because I’m still young and I need to learn again. But yeah, I think I am ready mentally and physically. I had a pretty good summer. I’m moving forward and really excited.”
Add head coach Pascal Vincent to the list of those happy to have Texier back, as he now has a versatile player he can add to the lineup.
“Tex is an amazing person, first of all,” Vincent said. “He’s a great player. I feel like we missed him a lot last year. We know that, but what I remember from Tex is whoever we played him with, that line was better. He makes his linemates better. We missed that kind of energy and kind of play, and he’s excited to be here. It’s good to have him back.”
