Instant Analysis: Struble Trade Clears Canadiens Logjam

Oct 10, 2026, 1:05 AM ET|Comments (0)

from Montreal Hockey Now, by Marc Dumont,

The Montreal Canadiens have announced the trade of defenceman Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick. The second-round pick was originally owned by the Vegas Golden Knights.

While Struble performed reasonably well in his role with the Canadiens, the deal will help ease the logjam among defencemen competing for permanent NHL jobs. He did not necessarily play overly poorly, but his skill set became somewhat redundant alongside Arber Xhekaj, another player who brings a strong physical presence to the blue line.

[continued]