Struble pulls off a maneuver no CH defenseman has ever managed

Since his debut, Jayden Struble has shown that he has what it takes to make his mark on a National League defensive brigade. Number 47 does all the right things, without flab, and with a great deal of rigor and confidence.

It was this confidence that enabled him to sneak past the Buffalo Sabres and score his first career NHL goal. A goal worthy of a player with excellent reading of the game and who chooses the perfect moment to cut into it (the game).

Jayden Struble’s first NHL goal → https://t.co/hK96OBWFpN

– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) December 10, 2023

In addition to reading play patterns well, he knows how to play well with his stick (his stick), while using his body and physical strength well to counter an opponent of Tage Thompson’s caliber.

As Grant McCagg wisely pointed out: no Tricolore defender stopped him in a powerful move last season. McCagg is of course talking about Thompson, a brute force of nature who stands 6 foot 6 and weighs 220 pounds.

Whoops – didn’t mean to repeat Struble’s defensive play on Thompson…. I guess I liked it THAT much. I will say this – there was no Habs defenceman stopping him on a power move last season.

– Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) December 10, 2023

Look at the way Struble positioned his torso and legs to contain Thompson and prevent him from threading the needle. It’s art!

Let’s be serious for a moment: Struble no longer deserves to return to the Laval Rocket. He’s an NHL player, there’s no doubt about it, and he’s certainly surpassed a few defensemen in the Tricolore hierarchy.

Jordan Harris has every reason to be nervous… as he’s currently lurking in the infirmary. When David Savard returns, the dominoes will start to fall and we’ll know exactly where Struble stands. And with this quality defensive depth, Kent Hughes could move a Matheson or Kovacevic.

As for Sheriff Xhekaj, yesterday’s duel against the Buffalo Sabres proved just how indispensable this individual is to the blue-white-red, who will need to reintegrate him into his squad sooner rather than later. Gustav Lindström, a right-handed player who plays a very honest game, could still be penalized…

That’s what happens when the Sheriff is not in the lineup… That’s what happens when our Sheriff is not in the lineup… https://t.co/3r8TNd92Wi

– Georges Laraque (@GeorgesLaraque) December 10, 2023

All things considered, Hughes doesn’t just have a headache in front of the net, since that’s also the case defensively, where there’s (too much) good depth.