While Lane Hutson, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Hutson grab most of the headlines, Jayden Struble has been playing some really solid hockey for the Montreal Canadiens since Kayden Guhle’s injury at the end of January, and I thought it was high time to have a feature about him. I caught him when the team arrived at their hotel in St. Louis before he went to dinner with his usual group on the road, Michael Pezzetta. Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jakub Dobes, and Wayne (which is what he calls his defense partner Lane Hutson).
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A native of Rhode Island, Struble winced when asked which team he supported as a kid before confessing the Boston Bruins were his favorite, just like most of his friends and family. The Montreal faithful will probably be happy to know that his favorite player wasn’t defenseman Zdeno Chara- who became public enemy number one with the Max Pacioretty incident- but l’Ancienne-Lorette native Patrice Bergeron.
Even though TSN insider Bob MacKenzie had him ranked at number 63 in his draft year, Struble says he wasn’t surprised to be claimed in the second round at 46th overall. Thanks to a very good combine, he believed he would be claimed around there, but he didn’t expect the Canadiens to call up his name. However, knowing he was a Bruins fan, his stepdad said wouldn’t it be funny if the Habs picked you? Enemy of his childhood team or not, he felt nothing but excitement when it did happen mere minutes later.
Unlike some players eager to jump to the pros, Struble played his four years of eligibility in the NCAA. Not that he went in telling himself that he would, but he loved being in school. Considering where he was at with his game and feeling like he wanted to finish what he started, it wasn’t a tough decision to stay. Although he has yet to graduate, he fully intends to complete his degree; he was a communications major.
He played with former Hab Jordan Harris at Northeastern, who was drafted by Montreal a year before him, but they didn’t talk about playing together in Montreal later on since they hadn’t made it yet. They did, however, think it was cool they would have the opportunity at least to earn a spot and play on the same team. He added:
It was actually pretty special to see that happen, and you know, both of us start our careers in the same spot.
- On starting his career in the same organization as Jordan Harris
Unsurprisingly, he found it tough to see him leave in a trade last Summer, having known him for as long as he did. He further explained it’s hard to see any guy leave, especially this year now that he’s more vocal in the dressing room and more “part of everything,” unlike last season when he was shying away a bit being a rookie. He’s branching out and getting to know his teammates pretty well.
Playing Regularly
This season, he also had an opportunity to be in the lineup regularly, as Guhle’s injury occurred in January. Monday after practice, coach Martin St-Louis said that when Guhle was ruled out, Struble wasn’t told to go out there and replace him; he was told to go out there and be himself. I asked the blueliner what he considers to be his strengths on the ice:
You know, the way I play, the intensity to my game and being physical when you can, not being easy to play against. I think my decision-making has been really good, moving pucks, getting out of the D-zone pretty quick, and, you know, trying to contribute to the offense as well. Throwing pucks to the net, I’ve had a couple of good tips on my shots.
- Struble on his strengths
In a nutshell, he’s aiming to play pretty much mistake-free and hard to play against, a combination every coach would be happy with. He’s aware tough decisions are coming, though, with Guhle coming back, but playing that stretch where he knew he would be in every game was great for his confidence building, especially with the fact he’s been able to play well.
About The Coach
Being a defenseman, he’s mainly dealing with Stephane Robidas, the assistant coach responsible for the blueliners doing video and the on-ice part, but Martin St-Louis is still involved:
He’ll let you know if there’s something he sees and that you have to do. He’s been good, but he’s a very demanding presence. I think that brings out the most out of guys because you don’t want to disappoint him, so you work towards it and strive for perfection.
- On coach Martin St-Louis
On Monday, much was made of the fact that during practice, as Struble was stretching, St-Louis came over to talk to him; some speculated it was about Guhle’s impending return, but he explained it was just about a play that happened and was on the coach’s mind. They went through it. The bench boss told him what he thought he should do in that situation, and the defenseman agreed. In other words, it was just an example of how hands-on St-Louis is, even with his rearguards.
Struble adds that he’s always talking one-on-one with players in practice, bringing them aside. He’s not sure what he’s telling them, but he’s always striving for perfection and telling his players what he sees and the game plan.
On Challenges
Even though he has enjoyed being in the lineup regularly, he doesn’t worry about what may happen when Guhle is ready to return. He knows that someone’s going to have to come out; that’s a reality he’s aware of, but he’s controlling what he can control and putting his best foot forward to play good hockey and continue to do so, bringing that same intensity every time he’s in the lineup.
If I’m in, great. If I’m out, hopefully, everyone keeps going; I want to go and get into the playoffs. I mean, you just feel the hype and intensity from everyone in the city, with our team and everything. I’d love to be a part of it, but obviously, just wait and see.
- On the upcoming lineup change
Being in and out of the lineup is what he has found the most challenging in his hockey career so far; it’s mentally tough, and physically, you’re away from the team, you’re doing your own skates, you don’t feel like you’re part of it as much. In short, it’s not the same when you’re not playing, because you want to be in the battle with the guys and do something, be part of the grind, the successes and the failures, that’s the hardest part.
I asked him if, at times, he felt at a disadvantage in a predominately “white sport” like hockey, and he brushed it aside:
Talent’s talent, you got to work hard just like anyone else, and the one thing I can say to that is maybe when I was younger, it was a little tougher because of things you get said to you; that’s the only tough part. Opportunity wise, if I was white and playing the same hockey, I’d be in the same spot, it’s all about talent and work ethic.
- On making his way in a predominately "white sport"
He recalls that he had good teammates whenever something was said to him; he didn’t have to handle it all himself; they were there for him. He could always lean on their support and the support of his family. He added with a smile that he wouldn’t swap places with those guys saying some things now and wouldn’t be who he is today without everything that’s happened to him, but it’s all water under the bridge now.
About Montreal And His Teammates
When I spoke to him about how noisy the Bell Centre has been lately, he got a huge smile on his face and told me it was awesome. He had never experienced something like that. He feels like there’s something different in the air, and there’s nothing like it.
On how efficient his partnership with Lane Hutson has been for the Canadiens, he says they are both playing some good hockey and complementing each other. Of the rookie, he says:
I mean, he’s so gifted offensively and can do things that are, I mean, he’s just so shifty and smart that my job’s pretty easy. Either shoot it or get the puck to Lane. […] He’s way better defensively than he gets credit for; he’s very smart and fast, has a motor, and is always in the right spot; he makes it easy.
- On Lane Hutson
Even though he’s been playing with Hutson for a while, the youngster still manages to surprise him. While he’s come to expect him to pull things off, he still watches him on the ice and goes, “Oh!”.
While Hutson has been impressive this season, he’s not the only feel-good story on the Habs, and I felt I needed to ask him how inspiring it was to see a vet like Josh Anderson, who is dealing with injuries go out there and act like a wrecking ball on the ice. He called the power forward an absolute beast, adding that he’s been incredible in this last stretch, going full speed at players and folding them. He said it was fun to watch but got the team and the guys going. Before adding, he had just been unbelievable to them.
The defenseman has a lot of respect and affection for his teammates; I put him on the spot and asked him which part of his teammates he would take to build the ultimate player. It was funny to see him struggle to decide, but he landed on Suzuki’s vision, Alex Newhook’s speed for a forward, and Mike Matheson’s for a defenseman. He would have either Laine or Caufield’s shot, and the latter’s hands, although he added Hutson’s would also be an option. “You’ve got to put him somewhere; he’s so good,” and finally, he’d add Anderson’s grit.
Now that the Canadiens are in the second wild-card spot, the blueliner explains that they are all doing a bit of standing watch, making sure they are still in that spot and doing the math to see how far the other teams are. Speaking to Struble, you can feel how much he wants that first taste of the playoffs and how that counts for the Canadiens at this stage of the season. While it’s obvious he’d rather be playing than watching, the blueliner is a team player and ready to do what’s best for the team as planned by coach St-Louis.
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