Jayden Struble

May 2023 – Struble secured an NHL deal that kicks in next season, but in his brief stint with the Laval Rocket, he impressed many. A truly elite transition player, he showed exactly what his role could be as an NHLer. His skating is phenomenal, and combined with his physicality, he could grow into a serious threat. There is still a bit of a black hole offensively when it comes to Struble, but, watching the development of Kaiden Guhle, the Canadiens development staff seems apt to put in the work with him. While he will likely be stapled to the top-four in Laval, if injuries loom as they did in this past campaign, Struble’s skills in transition could put him at the top of the list for a callup. Aaron Itovitch

May 2022 – Struble may have had a down year in terms of production with just three goals and 14 points in 34 games following up a shortened 18 game season with two goals and 12 points, but his actual play has continued to trend upward and he has displayed a continued refinement of his game. The left-shot defenseman has one of the most intriguing toolkits in the entirety of the Habs’ prospect pool, with high-end strength, skating mechanics, aggressiveness, and confidence with the puck. While his former captain, Jordan Harris, was always more likely to make the NHL, Struble still has the higher ceiling, making him an intriguing option for fantasy managers, who could capitalize on his lower production to pick up a player who has a shot at becoming a second-pairing puck-moving defenseman with second power-play upside. Expectations will be high for Struble next season with Northeastern as there will be a Harris-sized hole needing to be filled, and I would bet that Struble excels with the added responsibility and pressure. Sebastian High