As the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals set the stage for an epic showdown between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, fans of the St. Louis Blues will notice a few familiar faces competing for hockey’s ultimate prize at the end of the “second season”. Three former members of the Blues organization, forwards William Carrier, Zachary Bolduc, and Alexandre Texier, have taken vastly different paths to the sport's biggest stage, but each is playing a pivotal role in their team’s championship pursuit.
For Carrier, this trip to the Finals represents a chance to bookend his career with another ring. Carrier, who spent his formative professional years in the Blues’ minor-league system after being acquired in the 2014 Jaroslav Halak trade, eventually became a foundational piece of the Vegas Golden Knights' original identity. After winning a Stanley Cup with Vegas in 2023, the rugged forward signed with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024. This season, Carrier has provided the Hurricanes with the exact brand of heavy, postseason-tested depth they needed to secure the Eastern Conference crown, setting up a dramatic Final against his former Vegas teammates.
Meanwhile, the other side of the ice has a pair of former Blues forwards who found their footing north of the border. Bolduc, St. Louis's 2021 first-round draft pick, was traded to Montreal in a blockbuster summer move that stunned many in St. Louis. The 23-year-old winger has played well this season but has seen himself relegated to bottom-six role and minutes under the playoff pressure. However, he has still solidified himself as a highly effective depth forward during the postseason run. His speed and physical forechecking have injected crucial energy into the lineup, proving that his high-ceiling talent is built for the tight checking of June hockey.
Joining him on that journey is Alexandre Texier, whose stint in St. Louis was brief but serves as a crucial turning point. After starting the 2025–26 campaign with the Blues, Texier found a new home in Montreal, where he quickly earned a two-year contract extension. The French forward has been a revelation this postseason, scoring timely goals, including a game-winner in the Eastern Conference Finals, and bringing versatile, middle-six stability to the roster.