Columbus Blue Jackets: Making the case to give Alexandre Texier more ice time

As the Columbus Blue Jackets currently celebrate a much-needed win over the Detroit Red Wings to end their five-game losing streak, now it’s time to tweak things a bit to keep that momentum going. This is where head coach John Tortorella can prove his worth in being kept beyond this season.

When it comes to forward Alexandre Texier, it’s no secret that Tortorella hasn’t found the right place for him to thrive in. So far this season, Texier is averaging just about 15 minutes and 16 seconds per game but doesn’t have a definitive spot or role on this roster. He’s been moved all over different lines as Tortorella, for whatever reason, doesn’t want to commit to him to at least give him a shot for what he’s capable of.

Obviously, the Blue Jackets at this point of the regular season are on the outside looking in. They’re towards the bottom of the Central Division sitting at 9-10-5. They truly have nothing to lose to try and experiment with young players that can at least help with the passing game as well as take a lot of shots on goal. These are Texier’s strengths and an area for the Blue Jackets to improve upon.

The Columbus Blue Jackets need to give Alexandre Texier more ice time

There would be no harm if Tortorella simply used Texier on the second or third line consistently, amping up his time on ice, and see how it goes for maybe a week or two. The extra amount of shots on goal would help the cause and could reignite Texier to push the envelope with such a vote of confidence.

In the grand scheme of things, confidence breeds success. Seeing Tortorella plug and play Texier into random parts of the lineup every other game is doing no one any good. If he was at least committed to giving Texier a specific role within a specific line, that could be what helps elevate his game. It would also allow him to do his part to start seeing the Blue Jackets put together some important winning streaks.

Development is a huge issue the Blue Jackets need to start correcting once the offseason is here. Having a strategic plan to give young up-and-coming players more ice time, mentoring, and high-quality coaching will be key if they’re planning to be a legitimate contender in the future.

Hopefully, we see more of Texier as it could be the catalyst needed to start opening things up when the second or third line hits the ice if he’s consistently a part of it. Either of those lines would make sense for him with everything he brings to the table. Let’s see how Tortorella handles these next few games with the Blue Jackets now that they finally tasted the win column after five straight losses.