Jayden Struble – 2019 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Jayden Struble

2018-19 Team:
St. Sebastian’s School (USHS)
Date of Birth: August 9th, 2001
Place of Birth: Cumberland, Rhode Island
Ht: 6-foot Wt: 194 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible

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Rankings

Every year, the New England Prep League always seems to have a few players that catch the eyes of NHL Scouts. This year, Jayden Struble is one of them. He has a rare blend of skill and physicality that is pretty uncommon in most of this year’s draft-eligible defensemen.

For the past two seasons, Struble has been an offensive catalyst from the back end for St. Sebastian’s. In 28 games this past season, the USHR Player and Defenseman of the Year scored 10 goals and added 30 assists for a total of 40 points.

Jayden Struble of St. Sebastian's School
Jayden Struble of St. Sebastian’s School (courtesy St. Sebastian’s)

He possesses a strong stride to the outside which allows him to rush pucks up the ice with confidence and take control of his team’s offence. In addition to his strong skating mechanics, the young defenseman has good agility and above average puck skills and doesn’t shy away from delivering big hits. His mobility and athleticism allow him to walk the blue line with confidence on the power play, thus creating passing and shooting lanes.

Related: Our Free NHL Draft Guide

His biggest drawback is his hockey sense, as he is known to force bad passes and sometimes takes himself out of position to deliver a hit. It can be hard for NHL Scouts to judge players like Struble because of the weak competition he plays against, but NHL teams in the past haven’t been afraid to roll the dice. He is committed to Northeastern University but is not set to play there until the 2020-21 season as he is expected to play for the Victoria Grizzlies in the BCHL next season.

Jayden Struble – NHL Draft Projection

I don’t expect him to get picked up in the first round, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets chosen in the second or third round.

Quotables

“The strong, athletic, puck-moving defenseman is fun to watch with his flashy style. He’s not afraid to run and gun it up the ice, and he plays with an edge.” – Jeff Cox/New England Hockey Journal

“A dominant puck-moving offensive defenseman, Struble has a hell-bent stride and excellent acceleration. He possesses tremendous speed, but he often gets caught deep in the offensive zone and sometimes takes time to come back to his position. Using his solid frame, he protects the puck very effectively.” – Darryl Houston Smith/Inside Hockey

Strengths

  • Skating
  • Physicality
  • Puck Skill

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Decision-making

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NHL Potential

Struble, in my opinion, has tons of potential that has yet to be tapped into. If an NHL team can develop him into an all-around defenseman he projects as a middle pairing defenseman who could chip around 25 points per season.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3.5/5 | Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 6.5/10 | Defence – 7/10

Awards/Achievements

Struble was named the USHR 2018-19 Prep Player of the Year as well as the USHR 2018-19 Defenseman of the Year. He was also invited to the 2018 USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game.

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