Bleedin' Blue
Fansided

Alexandre Texier named to French Olympic team

Hockey's returning to the Olympics, and one Blue has already been named to a national team.
ByJoe DeMarini|
Mar 25, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues center Alexandre Texier (9) is congratulated by right wing Mathieu Joseph (71) and center Oskar Sundqvist (70) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Mar 25, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues center Alexandre Texier (9) is congratulated by right wing Mathieu Joseph (71) and center Oskar Sundqvist (70) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier has been named to the French Olympic team, the first Blue named to one of the national hockey teams that will be competing in Milan in 2026. In 31 games with the Blues in the 2024-25 season, Texier posted six goals and five assists, good for 11 points in total. His role on the French national team is yet to be determined, but Texier is a versatile player who can stick down the middle or on either wing.

This is the first time NHL players will be going to the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi. That's 12 years that NHLers have been unable to represent their home countries on the biggest world stage, and Milan represents the first opportunity that many of today's stars--including the likes of Connor McDavid, Matthew Tkachuk, and David Pastrnak, among many others--will have to play in Olympic competition.

Best-on-best play returned earlier this year with the Four Nations tournament, which saw Canada win first place. The NHL is making a concerted effort to bring back international play and, after the 2026 Olympics, hopes to alternate every two years with the World Cup of Hockey. The drought of high-level international competition has left fans and players alike disappointed, but we should be in for a treat as the NHL has players rejoin their national teams.

Keep in mind, only the first six players have been named to these preliminary rosters (and in the case of smaller hockey market countries like France and Italy, only one player each), so expect to see another Blues player or two end up making their country's team.

Home/St Louis Blues News