Yes, with a future core that will be built around smallish, skilled players like Caufield, Demidov and Hutson, Montreal needs a level of 'steel' interspersed through out the team's evolving line-up. While Struble lacks Harris' overall fluidity, he brings more than adequate mobility and a level of physicality that makes him a better fit going forward.
With the team's growing backlog of promising defenders, there wasn't enough room and roster space to retain all these prospects. I think most here would have been quite satisfied to have received a second round pick for either Harris or Struble, particularly from a team who should still be a lottery pick in 2026. The Laine trade was a sophisticated, multi-faceted transaction which saw Hughes use several assets at his disposable (excess positional talent and available cap flexibility) in a bold effort to dramatically improve the team. The assumed risk/cost expended was low with the potential of securing a potentially high return. The very essence of adhering to the principle of an intuitive "calculated risk".