The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted a 17-year-old center from France named Alexander Texier this year in Chicago. The young centerman was, and still is, relatively unknown to hockey folks in North America.
But more and more folks in Europe are taking notice of Texier. He played at 17 in France’s top hockey league and performed exceptionally well for a teenager. Texier led France in three international tournaments where he shined.
Now he is off to a hot start in the top level of Finnish hockey; Liiga. Regarded as the third best European league behind the KHL and Swedish SHL, Liiga is a great training ground.