The Montreal Canadiens’ best asset in their rebuild thus far has been their depth of defensive prospects. Last season saw six rookies make their debuts with the club, and this season, another was added to the list, Jayden Struble. The Canadiens’ defence as a unit all play a mobile, puck-moving style. Some are more offensive, and some are more physical, but Struble, who was dubbed “a Greek God” by former general manager (GM) Marc Bergevin, can provide those skills, but can also play a simple, effective defensive game.
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Current Canadiens GM Kent Hughes probably didn’t start this season with Struble on his list of “keepers”, the list of young defencemen that he will build his blue line around. But his play so far this season has forced him into that conversation. Now everyone watching can see how difficult it would be to take him off the NHL roster. Based only on his performance so far, is he here to stay?
Jayden Struble a Potential Top Four Defenceman
When Struble was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, he was seen as a puck-moving offensive defenceman, with excellent skating skill, and physicality but had some defensive deficiencies to be ironed out. Since then, over his time with Northeastern University and his early steps in the professional game, he has grown.
Before his call-up, Struble had played 12 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Laval Rocket in the 2023-24 season, scoring one goal and six points while playing in a top-pairing role. He demonstrated an elite talent at starting the transitional play. His skating is outstanding, he has excellent speed, and fantastic mobility in all directions without any loss of speed. The 6-foot, 205-pound defender also plays with a physical edge that makes him hard to play against in the defensive zone.
Struble is a mobile, physical, two-way defenceman with second pairing upside. The Canadiens’ development staff under Adam Nicholas has done excellent work with him so far, and it isn’t hard to see them being able to develop him into an all-around defenceman, who could defend himself and his teammates and chip in around 25 points per season. So far at the NHL level, he has earned every shift and game he has played in.
Canadiens’ Struble Earning His Role
With the way Struble has played in his call-up, it is nearly impossible, based on his improving play, to send him back to Laval. If he were to be returned, it would be based on Hughes wanting to spread out the NHL experience to other defencemen. The good news is that Struble has shown he can be an NHL defenceman, and his confidence in that ability has grown.
“There’s nothing better. I feel I’ve been playing well over my first 20 games. Obviously, there is room for improvement, like consistency, but in the end, I’m happy with my play so far”
– Jayden Struble
Since his call-up to Montreal, he has been reliable defensively. He reads developing plays well in his own zone, using his mobility to keep pace with even the speediest of forwards, and to get into position quickly. Once in position, he uses his stick to cut off lanes and can use his physicality to separate his opposition from the puck or outmuscle them in a one-on-one battle. His defensive IQ is high as his decisions with the puck are consistently to make the high percentage, and safer plays. While this doesn’t provide any flashy highlights, what it does do is ensure his mistakes are limited and has his coaches see him as reliable, which in turn earns him more ice time.
Offensively, he has scored two goals and four points in 21 games played. While that doesn’t seem like much offence, it is despite the lack of ice time over several games. Once his ice time began to go up, his offensive game began to be seen. As he gains experience in the NHL, he has shown that he isn’t afraid to pinch in at the blue line or to get his shot through a crowd and on the net. Since his arrival, he has looked more than just ready, but comfortable playing at NHL speed.
He plays a very mature game, with impressive amounts of poise. If you didn’t know he was a 22-year-old rookie, you’d be forgiven for believing he was a much older veteran defender. He doesn’t rely on only his physical strength to help him deal with his opponents. What he does use is his speed, mobility and hockey IQ, but he does use his strength as an additional layer to be even more difficult to play against.
He blocks shots, punishes opponents with physicality and has earned the trust of head coach Martin St. Louis to now be used as a top-four defender playing over 19 to 20 minutes per game.
An excellent example of Struble’s poise was his play in the overtime (OT) period against the New York Rangers on Jan. 6. In this game, he had played over 20 minutes and was never out of position. This earned him St. Louis’ trust to play in OT against one of the league’s top teams.
Brian Wilde posted on X, describing this key moment in this game. In the OT when Struble was caught out for a long shift the Rangers put a fresh line out to take advantage of the long change and Artemi Panarin led that wave of the attack. Even when faced with a one-on-one with Panarin, an elite top-line offensive forward, he didn’t shy away, recoil or panic.
“It was more just try and stay on my feet and not put pressure on my outside edge, so it was tough. But I was just like, ‘Lock it down and then get off the ice.’ That was pretty much my thought.”
– Jayden Struble
Struble was on the ice in that situation because of his remarkable poise, and effective play. His mobility and ability to play in transition made him a solid choice for this OT. Wilde went on TSN Radio the following day to sing the praises of the 22-year-old, talking about his high ceiling.
Tough Decisions Ahead for Canadiens
With the return of Jordan Harris from injury, the Canadiens’ defence corps situation gets even more complicated at the NHL level. It means Jonathan Kovacevic sits out, and that Arber Xhekaj will remain in Laval for now. That’s just who is available now, in another year, Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson, Adam Engstrom and possibly others will all be competing for four spots in Montreal.
There are simply too many good, young NHL-capable defencemen, and too few roster spots. With the wealth of young defensive prospects at his disposal, Hughes has the assets he needs to build one of the NHL’s more offensively capable blue lines. Now, because Struble has found consistency, and is working his way up the depth chart, it will be hard for Hughes to see him as a trade asset. It may have been in the rebuild plan before the season started to use Struble in a trade to fill other needs. Yet now, that has likely changed as he can be an effective, all-around weapon on the blue line.
