The Montreal Canadiens didn’t have the easiest time dispatching the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, needing extra time, a shootout, and some solid goaltending to get the job done. The entertainment value was certainly there, and seeing one of their young netminders give the team every chance to win was a welcome sight for a large portion of the fan base. In all, it was a relatively successful Saturday night of hockey in Habs land.
And as youth performances went, another that should draw some attention was that of Jayden Struble, who looks like he won’t be seeing the north shore again any time soon, if ever.
This was a play far beyond his years. He starts it inside of his own zone, making a good pass while forcing an oncoming checker to miss, but then he gets on his horse. As strong as Struble has been since being called up, few expect to see the speed he showed on the remainder of the play, getting into the offensive zone and making himself available for the pass from Johnny Kovacevic. The finish was simple, yet highly impressive, as its simplicity is only evident at that speed when executed with professional precision.
And professional is the most apt description of how Struble has looked since being called up. It has been a relatively quick run for him with the Rocket, but he looks more than ready to run with the big club. One could argue that the reason the team felt comfortable letting Arber Xhekaj get himself ready with the Rocket was partly due to how strong Struble has looked in Montreal. Even when Xhekaj is 100% ready to return, it is hard to envision a universe where Struble is the player to bow out, as he’s looked better than most of their blue line in his time there.
And they shouldn’t consider anything else. Regardless of who is ready in the coming days and weeks, Struble should have done enough to earn his spot moving forward. Until and unless someone comes along playing better than him, he shouldn’t have to worry about his spot. Jayden Struble is here to stay, and the Rocket had better get used to life without his services.
