The Columbus Blue Jackets 2nd round pick, their first pick in this year's NHL Draft, has signed a two-year contract with KalPa of the Finnish Liiga.
Alexandre Texier, the highest-selected Frenchman in NHL history, was reportedly between playing in the Finnish professional league and for Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL, the club that drafted his rights in the CHL import draft in June.
Columbus Blue Jackets 2nd round pick Alexandre Texier has signed a two-year contract with KalPa in the Finnish Liiga. @ha_philippe #CBJ
— Marco Bombino (@marco_bombino) July 19, 2017
It is worth mentioning that management has said on record that Texier would not be playing in France again this year. Just 17 years old, Texier was the youngest player on his French team, Grenoble, and he needed a more daunting challenge to jump-start his development.
Confirmed: Alexandre Texier (F) | Grenoble -> KalPa | https://t.co/sopUax01f6 #Liiga
— EP Transfers (@ep_transfers) July 19, 2017
The talented young centerman has been dominant in France's junior circuit, and put up impressive stats in his first professional year. In 40 games, he posted 10 goals and 9 assists, and followed that up with 5 goals and 5 assists in just 12 playoff games.
While Jackets fans shouldn't expect Texier to make the club for the next year (or two), he is clearly held in high regards among Blue Jackets brass. GM Jarmo Kekalainen himself admitted that they would have taken him in the first round if a deal would have been available.
