The Montreal Canadiens are unofficially finished conducting their offseason enterprise, after re-signing restricted-free-agent defenseman Jayden Struble to a two-year, $2.83 million deal on Monday.
Struble a Dependable Depth Piece on Canadiens
Struble, who’s projected to put declare to one of many last roster spots out of coaching camp and assist fill out the protection, had intiallyfiled for arbitration. He had his listening to scheduled for Aug. 3, however the two sides had been anticipated to come back to an settlement forward of time. His earlier, entry-level contract, which simply expired, paid him $1.74 million ($868,000 cap hit) over two years.
The Montreal Canadiens have their arbitration viewers with Jayden Struble scheduled for the third of August.
It is *very* seemingly that the Canadiens come to phrases with Struble previous to that date.
— Marco D’Amico (@mndamico) July 22, 2025
As extra of an all-around defenseman, Struble discovered important success enjoying on a pairing with Calder Memorial Trophy-winner Lane Hutson, this previous season. In truth, Struble was Hutson’s second-most-common partner. Nonetheless, he performed simply 14:57 per recreation, simply above Arber Xhekaj, who performed the least per recreation of anybody on the defensive corps, at 14:37.
Xhekaj nonetheless bought in 70 video games to Struble’s 56, which performs into the notion Struble is destined for a depth position, particularly following the offseason acquisition of top-pairing-defenseman Noah Dobson. Going the opposite approach in that commerce with the New York Islanders was, on prime of two first-round picks, ahead Emil Heineman, who had additionally been a RFA. Following his departure, solely Struble and goalie Jakub Dobes remained unsigned as RFAs. Canadiens normal supervisor Kent Hughes finalized that deal early this month although, leaving a contract for Struble as the one controversial merchandise left on his to-do listing.
Associated: Predicting Jayden Struble’s Subsequent Contract with the Canadiens
Struble scored two objectives and 13 factors in 2024-25, having fun with a slight uptick in manufacturing relative to the ten factors he scored as a rookie in 2023-24, in the identical quantity of video games. Hughes’ prime remaining offseason precedence, if one exists in any respect, is to solidify his second-line-centre spot, which Kirby Dach, who needs to be wholesome in time for subsequent season after struggling a second straight season-ending knee damage, is predicted to be given an opportunity to fill. There are additionally solutions that, relatively than place it on long-term injured reserve, the Canadiens may commerce Carey Value’s contract because it enters the ultimate season of its eight-year time period.
