Kent Hughes and the Habs could lose a player to the Boston Bruins
Now that Jordan Harris has signed with the Montreal Canadiens, the organization's attention is turning to another promising young defenseman. This one is still playing in the university ranks and he could escape the Tricolore if he does not sign a contract relatively quickly.
We are talking about Jayden Struble who was drafted 46th overall by the CH in the second round of the 2019 NHL draft.
The American was present in Montreal the day before yesterday, at Justin's show at the Bell Centre and the rumors got hot. Some observers believe that he could soon sign a trial contract with the Rocket in the AHL before officially agreeing with the Habs.
It should also be noted that as soon as Struble decides to sign with Montreal or Laval, he loses the opportunity to play his final season in the NCAA.
On the other hand, as Max Truman of Danslescoulisses.com reports, Struble is less academically inclined than Harris, so it wouldn't be all that surprising if he decides to make the jump to the pros next year. That would be his wish.
So the next question is, where will he play?
Elliotte Friedman spoke on the subject and brought a very intriguing new option.
Basically, if he wants to make the jump to the pros this season and to start next season, it will be in Laval, in the Tricolore organization.
On the other hand, if the CH asks him to return to the NCAA, which seems to be the case here, Struble could decide at the end of his next season to become free as a bird and sign with another team, like the Boston Bruins.
He will be an unrestricted free agent on August 15, 2023, if he doesn't sign before that date.
That may seem like a long time away, but it's important because if the Tricolore wants to avoid losing him for nothing, they should ideally put him under contract in the next few days. This is the advantage Montreal has over Boston in this matter. If the youngster wants to play in the pros this season and also next year, it's within the Habs organization.
If he decides to wait one more season, that's when he'll have the option to go elsewhere, like Boston.
Jayden Struble, a 20-year-old Boston-area native, had 14 points in 34 games this season at Northeastern. He is known for his physical play.
He will be a player to watch in the coming days and could be an interesting addition for the Rocket.
For details:
| POLL | ||
The best young defenceman of the Habs (in 5 years), among the following choices, will be : | ||
| Justin Barron | 88 | 26.7 % |
| Alexander Romanov | 175 | 53 % |
| Jordan Harris | 42 | 12.7 % |
| Jayden Struble | 25 | 7.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
