Following their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020-21 Stanley Cup Final, the Montreal Canadiens have been in rebuild mode. Head coach Martin St. Louis and general manager Kent Hughes have cultivated a roster filled with young talent looking to be a part of the next contending core of Habs.
On Monday, the team announced that another potential long-term piece, defenseman Jayden Struble, had signed a two-year contract extension to avoid arbitration.
“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,” posted the Canadiens’ official site. “The deal will pay him an average annual salary of $1.4125 million.”
By avoiding Struble’s arbitration and locking him in for the next two years, it allows both parties to hedge their bets. If Struble continues to progress and improve on his first two NHL campaigns, then this deal could look shrewd. It would also lead to a bigger contract next time around for Struble. The former 46th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft chipped in 13 points in 56 games in 2024-25.
But if the 23-year-old fails to continue improving, then both parties could move on in a couple of years. So, will Struble continue to carve out a role on the Canadiens’ blue line?
Canadiens looking to improve upon 2024-25 playoff appearance
Hughes and St. Louis have worked through a lot of losses and growing pains on their way to getting Montreal back to the postseason. The 2024-25 season was the next step in their rebuild, as they advanced to the dance for the first time since 2021. Although they fell to the Washington Capitals in Round 1, Hughes, St. Louis and the team know that expectations will be raised even further in 2025-26.
The hopes of Canadiens fans and the organization alike is that the team’s growth will continue this upcoming season. If Struble grows alongside his teammates, then his new contract will look like a master stroke. For a front office that has taken its time and gotten more and more right as of late, the young D-man’s development will continue to be of high interest going forward.
The Canadiens have now locked in their entire roster for the 2025-26 season, with 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders under contract.
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