The Montreal Canadiens will avoid their arbitration hearing with Jayden Struble.
The 23-year-old and the Canadiens agreed to a new deal on Monday morning. According to the official team press release, the agreement is for two years and is worth $1.41 million per season.
The team’s press release:
“Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes announced on Monday that the team has agreed to terms on a two-year, one-way contract (2025-26 to 2026-27) with defenseman Jayden Struble. The deal will pay him an average annual salary of $1.4125 million.
Struble appeared in 56 games with the Canadiens in 2024-25, recording two goals and 11 assists. The Cumberland, RI native also registered a plus-2 differential, 52 penalty minutes and 124 hits, ranking fifth on the team for the latter (tied with Jake Evans). The 23-year-old rearguard also played two playoff contests against the Washington Capitals.
Since making his NHL debut in 2023-24, Struble has suited up for 112 games with Montreal and has tallied 23 points (5G, 18A), in addition to serving 109 penalty minutes.
Struble was selected by the Canadiens in the second round (46th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft.”
The arbitration hearing between the two parties was scheduled for August 3rd.
Jayden Struble’s New Contract Details
Struble is coming off a two-year entry-level contract (ELC) that paid him $867,500 per season. His new contract gives him a slight bonus, which is sensible given that he only has 112 regular season games under his belt.
This new contract isn’t a blockbuster deal for Mason McTavish or Anthony Cirelli, but Canadiens fans should feel good about it.
How Struble Fits Into the Canadiens’ Lineup
Struble spent the majority of his ice time partnered with Calder-Trophy winner Lane Hutson. They spent 330 even-strength minutes together, which was 40.9 percent of his total ice time.
The young pairing performed well from an analytical perspective. According to Dobber Frozen Pool, the Hutson and Struble duo had a 55.8 CF% and a 57.8 shots-for-percentage (SF%).
More importantly, the pairing outscored their opposition 18-11.
Considering how well the two played together, it’s reasonable to say that Hutson and Struble could be a pairing again in the 2025-26 season. But there is at least one feasible option.
Struble played 134 minutes with Arber Xhekaj, which accounts for 16.6 percent of his total ice time for the season. The pairing was outscored (3-5) while on the ice together, but they did well in other facets.
Xhekaj and Struble posted a 55.7 CF% and a 50 SF%. This suggests that they created more scoring chances than they allowed on their net while playing.
Struble Brings Important Physical Presence
The 23-year-old defender may only have 112 NHL games under his belt, but he’s established himself as a physical presence on the Canadiens’ blueline. Xhekaj led all Canadiens’ defenders in hits with 180. Struble wasn’t far behind with 124 hits of his own. His 124 hits had him ranked sixth among all Canadiens’ skaters for the 2024-25 season.
In two seasons, Struble has thrown 245 hits, well over two hits per game. He averaged 15:32 of ice time per game during the season. He’s an excellent option to fulfill a third-pairing role in the new season.
According to HockeyFights, he fought twice during the 2024-25 season.
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