Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
A Montreal Canadiens forward, chosen by Martin St-Louis to complete the top line, has just been criticized online.
Since Zachary Bolduc got his opportunity alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, the comments have been harsh.
In Florida, you could still hear that this line was invisible almost every game, especially when it mattered.
The discomfort mainly comes from one painful statistic. Since the beginning of December, the Canadiens’ top line has scored only two even-strength goals. When your first line isn’t producing, everyone’s patience wears thin quickly.
Sunday in Tampa Bay, Martin St-Louis sent a clear message. In the third period, he removed Bolduc from the top line. He gave the spot to Alexandre Texier, and the idea is to repeat the experiment.
Alexandre Texier is now on the Montreal Canadiens’ top line and has replaced Zachary Bolduc
Texier is 26 years old and is on a one-year, $1 million deal. This season, he has six points in 16 games, and he’s being handed a rare opportunity. Playing with Suzuki and Caufield is an audition in capital letters, period.
On the other side, Bolduc is 22 years old and still has 17 points in 38 games. He even scored a big goal in Boston recently, so this isn’t a case of a player being ineffective for no reason. But a spot on the top line has to be earned every night.
In short, the wind is shifting, and the timing is right ahead of the game against the Florida Panthers. If Texier brings an immediate spark, the debate will change in one night. If things stay quiet, Bolduc will clearly get his chance again.
“Since Bolduc has been on the first line, that line has basically been invisible in almost every game.
Slafkovsky works really well with Kapanen and Demidov, so don’t touch that.
At this point, go ahead and try Texier.”
Which is exactly what was done, as mentioned above.
And you, what would you do if it were your decision?
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics