Player Discussion Jayden Struble Part 2

[Habssince89]

If anything good comes out of this year we can look back and appreciate the development of Struble and Slafkovsky’s into impactful NHLers.

In Struble’s case his combination of mobility, physical strength and on ice vision make him a strong and steady defenceman. He closes the gap as well as any of our defencemen. His strength on his skates is impressive, similar to the much larger Slafkovsky, when Struble initiated contact with an opponent, that opponent is generally neutralized.

Both of these players will be important pieces of this franchise for the next decade.

excellent post. bolded is what I think makes Struble a potentially great #3. Good enough to play with the top D if needed, but solidifies the bottom half of the D when placed lower in the lineup. He's going to be one of those Dmen that know their limits and impact the game by good reads. Look at what a guy like Josh Gorges was able to do with little talent. Struble has more skill and far more athletic ability than someone like Gorges, so as so long as Struble continues to grow his IQ I think he could be a guy that sticks around in the league well into their 30s. He's really showing great judgement and execution.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

I don't understand the assumption that Barron will not improve his defensive game.

Right?!
It's regularity said that it takes blue liners an average 300 games played to fully mature. He just passed a full season of nhl games. People need to chill.

 

[TT1]

Does this mean we will trade Kovacevich?

No it means we can trade Barron (not only is he weak defensively, he's also very soft), a bunch of players on this roster are gonna need to be moved to make room for Hutson/Reinbacher and maybe Mailloux.

Kovacevic is good value for what he brings to a bottom pair. He's our best defensive dman, he has size and he's still young. Trading him is pointless given how cheap he'll be to resign and how little trade value he has.

It's much better to trade an overrated/flashy player with higher value like Barron. He's the type of player who'd be included in a bigger quantity for quality type deal which is what Hughes/Gorton are probably working on (given the amount of prospects we have).

 

[WinterLion]

We got him for free. What kind of return do you expect from him?

Personally I think at the deadline you would get around what we got for Kulak... but I also said that Kulak could be moved and everyone thought I was crazy... so I imagine it will be the same thing now...

The bigger question is whether he is the guy we want to move or not?

No it means we can trade Barron, a bunch of players on this roster are gonna need to be moved to make room for Hutson/Reinbacher and maybe Mailloux.

Kovacevic is good value for what he brings to a bottom pair. He's our best defensive dman, he has size and he's still young. Trading him is pointless given how cheap he'll be to resign and how little trade value he has.

Don't agree about the trade value, but agree about the rest.

 

[Tyson]

More reason to view many of the personnel evaluations and proposed transactions proffered here with a very large grain of salt.

We are just fans having fun. I hope my amateurish views are never taken seriously.

 

[Runner77]

It would be incredible if Struble were a top 4 D, and/or if he is just as good on the right as the left. I look forward to seeing how he does on the right when he's inevitably tried there.

A blogger argues that he should be played on the right and deployed with Arber on a third pair, as Struble is reliable defensively.

Struble played the majority of his NCAA career on the right. When he was forming a duo with Jordan Harris at that time, he was used on the right. On his last NCAA year, he played right.

He was asked last year upon arriving in Laval, if he expected to play the right side given the org’s high number of LHDs. He said that he was comfortable playing both.

Struble’s ability to read plays from the right or left was efficient in the NCAA. Initially, he experienced difficulty in executing his pivots however, Struble overcame it quickly.

Xhekaj-Struble: une option plausible pour le CH

Arber Xhekaj et Jayden Struble sur la même paire ? Une hypothèse qui fut discutée dans un épisode du TSLH Podcast !

www.toutsurlehockey.com

 

[WinterLion]

Tough game for Strubby last night. Hope he bounces back. Obviously he wasn't the only one having a tough game.

 

[Levard]

I see him as a 5/6 Dman when all is said and done .. I like the mobility..the quick decisions(although the lasts games he was less quick) he also does not get pushed easily and is not afraid of physical play like Barron and Harris(can't stand them).

Hope im wrong but he's never been an offensive dynamo anywhere he's played so I find it hard to believe he can become a top 3 in the NHL.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Tough game for Strubby last night. Hope he bounces back. Obviously he wasn't the only one having a tough game.

When he first started at Laval, Struble was over aggressive on the pinch and was caught several times leading to scoring chances against his team. He has limited those improvident pinches since being called up to the Canadiens. Last night, he got caught on a couple of occasions being too aggressive.

Nevertheless, with his combination of mobility, defensive awareness and physicality. Struble has a bright future with this team.

 

[HuGort]

When he first started at Laval, Struble was over aggressive on the pinch and was caught several times leading to scoring chances against his team. He has limited those improvident pinches since being called up to the Canadiens. Last night, he got caught on a couple of occasions being too aggressive.

Nevertheless, with his combination of mobility, defensive awareness and physicality. Struble has a bright future with this team.

Hope he learns from Boston game

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Hope he learns from Boston game

Let’s hope everyone learns from the Boston game.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Part of this is understanding where a players threshold is and right now for Struble, it's playing 3rd pair minutes. Not atypical for a young defenseman.

 

[HuGort]

Let’s hope everyone learns from the Boston game.

They do, but his play really slipped in that game.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Struble is gonna be a top pairing defenseman.

I always believed that and nothing has changed.

 

[Habssince89]

Struble is gonna be a top pairing defenseman.

I always believed that and nothing has changed.

Honestly I could see him have a longshot chance at it. He'll never have high-end skill but he has all the tools otherwise and a seemingly good toolbox. I find his approach to the game to be very very cerebral, and he never exerts himself when he doesn't need to, and if he can develop a high IQ defensively, I could see him becoming a top pairing minute eater who is paired with a very good offensive D.

Struble has that above-average NHLer trait of just making the right play nearly every time. He understands the big picture on the ice, and that understanding helps him pick moments to pinch etc. A lot of what people say Guhle is could also apply to Struble, without taking anything away from Guhle.

 

[Goalfield13]

With Barron going down, you have to wonder if Struble is going to play RD now. If his play at RD is comparable to that at LD, he should be put at RD immediately.

Matheson-Struble
Guhle-Savard
Wifi-Kova
Harris

 

[Canadiens98]

More impressed with him every game. Sure, he's made some mistakes but he doesn't let it get to him. He really seems to enjoy going up against the best players. If he continues, I think he can at the very least be a dman capable of playing top 4 minutes on a competing team.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

When Struble was at his best, he was playing under 15 minutes a night.

Since his minutes have been increased he has struggled at times, which makes sense given he is young D in his first full year of playing pro.

Just need to be patient with him and let him make these mistakes.

 

[WeThreeKings]

With Barron going down, you have to wonder if Struble is going to play RD now. If his play at RD is comparable to that at LD, he should be put at RD immediately.

Matheson-Struble
Guhle-Savard
Wifi-Kova
Harris

Guhle has been playing on the right.

 

[montreal]

With Barron going down, you have to wonder if Struble is going to play RD now. If his play at RD is comparable to that at LD, he should be put at RD immediately.

Matheson-Struble
Guhle-Savard
Wifi-Kova
Harris

Struble has almost never played RD that I'm aware of, don't think i would move him there, let him play his game at LD.

 

[Goalfield13]

Struble has almost never played RD that I'm aware of, don't think i would move him there, let him play his game at LD.

Oh, I thought he played RD in the NCAA... my bad.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Oh, I thought he played RD in the NCAA... my bad.

He may have played some there. I vaguely remember him switching it up a couple times. Could be wrong though

 

[montreal]

Oh, I thought he played RD in the NCAA... my bad.

not that I have ever seen. When he was paired with Harris it was always Harris who played RD.

 

[Runner77]

Struble has almost never played RD that I'm aware of, don't think i would move him there, let him play his game at LD.

He has played more RD than LD at the NCAA level and is equally at ease playing both, as per a link I posted in this thread yesterday and where I translated the relevant parts in this regard.

 

[montreal]

He has played more RD than LD at the NCAA level and is equally at ease playing both, as per a link I posted in this thread yesterday and where I translated the relevant parts in this regard.

That's just incorrect, as I watched almost every game Northeastern played and Struble was never at RD. But if you don't believe me, feel free to go through and see if you can find him playing any RD.