If Monday鈥檚 practice was any indication, the Blues could be welcoming back forward Alexandre Texier for Tuesday鈥檚 game against the Jets.
Texier was a full participant in practice, skating on the fourth line with Radek Faksa and Kasperi Kapanen while also rotating in on the second power-play unit. Texier has missed the past five games due to an upper-body injury.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 pretty close,鈥 Blues coach Drew Bannister said after practice on Monday. 鈥淲e鈥檒l see where he is tomorrow, and then we鈥檒l make that decision. But he鈥檚 been skating for a few days, he鈥檚 been getting better each day. I thought again today, he looked better out there and looked more comfortable. He had some contact, so that was a good thing.鈥
Texier has not played since the season opener on Oct. 8 in Seattle, when he made his Blues debut by playing 13:03 with two shots on goal and three blocked shots. He picked up a primary assist when he sprung Jordan Kyrou loose on the rush for a second-period goal that ended up being the game-winner.
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From there, it鈥檚 been an up-and-down journey for Texier. He missed practice on Oct. 9 but returned for morning skate the next day. He took part in Blues warmup in San Jose before he was a late scratch and since has practiced to various degrees.
The Blues traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to Columbus for Texier and then signed him to a two-year contract worth $2.1 million annually.
When the Blues opened the season in Seattle about two weeks ago, Texier found himself in the top six on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Kyrou. A lot has changed since then.
Zack Bolduc, a scratch for opening day, hasn鈥檛 missed a game since. The Blues have reunited Kyrou and Robert Thomas on the top line. Brandon Saad returned to action after the birth of his child. Dylan Holloway might have found more of a home on the third line. Kapanen and Nathan Walker have each been healthy scratches already this season, and Alexey Toropchenko missed Saturday鈥檚 game against Carolina with a lower-body injury.
So when Bannister and the Blues coaching staff eyed a spot for Texier to return to, the fourth line looked like a possibility.
鈥淗im being out the length of time that he is, we want to ease him in when he does come in,鈥 Bannister said when asked broadly about Texier鈥檚 spot in the lineup. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see a jump to putting him up in the top six. I think he鈥檚 got to work himself into that position, too, again. Making sure that we don鈥檛 rush him in. We want to slowly get him in and then see how he is.鈥
Texier was one of the Blues鈥 most active players during the preseason, with 11 shots on goal during his three games.
鈥淚f guys play well and they deserve that opportunity, they鈥檒l get the opportunity,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淎s far as Tex goes, I think it鈥檚 something where we want to ease him in and make him earn that spot, too.鈥
Texier is currently listed on injured reserve, meaning the Blues would have to clear a roster spot in order to activate him. The cleanest move could be to place defenseman Nick Leddy on injured reserve.
Leddy hasn鈥檛 played since Oct. 15 due to a lower-body injury and did not practice on Monday. If he is indeed out again on Tuesday, Leddy could be placed on IR and be eligible to play again as soon as Thursday鈥檚 game in Toronto.
鈥淲ith the injury that he has right now, I think when he鈥檚 ready, he鈥檒l be ready quick,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 going to take a little bit of time here before he gets himself back on the ice, but once he鈥檚 on the ice, I think he鈥檒l be a game player very quickly for us.鈥
The Blues could also create a roster spot by assigning Bolduc (or another waivers exempt player like Matthew Kessel) to AHL affiliate Springfield (Massachusetts). Waiving players like Kapanen, Walker or Scott Perunovich would not allow the Blues an immediate roster spot because it would take a day for those players to either clear waivers or be claimed by another team.