Canadiens trade defenceman Jayden Struble to Predators for 2027 draft pick
The 25-year-old defenceman had played 174 games for Montreal after being a second-round pick in 2019.
MONTREAL · The Montreal Canadiens traded defenceman Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators on Friday in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft. The 25-year-old had appeared in three of Montreal's four games this season, recording no points and averaging just over 12 minutes of ice time per game. He was a healthy scratch when the two teams played each other on Thursday. In return, the Canadiens receive a draft pick that was originally owned by the Vegas Golden Knights and was sent to Nashville in a previous trade.
Struble was selected by Montreal in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2019 draft. He played 174 games over four seasons with the Canadiens, scoring seven goals and 35 points while averaging nearly 15 minutes per game. He set a career high by playing 59 games last season and also appeared in 12 playoff games during Montreal's run to the Eastern Conference Final. Predators president and general manager Chris MacFarland welcomed the new addition in a statement. "Jayden Struble is a 25-year-old physical defender who will add mobility and a hard-to-play against quality that will help our backend," MacFarland said. "We are excited to watch his growth and look forward to him being a player who can grow with us."
The left-shot defenceman is in the final season of a two-year contract worth $2.83 million that he signed with Montreal in the summer of 2025. He will become a restricted free agent with Nashville at the end of the 2026-27 season. The trade leaves the Canadiens with six healthy defencemen on their roster, with Kaiden Guhle nearing a return from injury. The Canadiens, who have lost three straight games, will try to get back on track Saturday night when they host the Detroit Red Wings.
With files from Sportsnet, TSN and The Tennessean