Montreal’s blue line is about to get crowded in a hurry, and one of the more intriguing storylines heading into training camp centers on a pair of young, physical defensemen who both looked like they belonged last season.
According to several sources, Jayden Struble enters Canadiens training camp with the inside track on the sixth defenseman spot. Nothing is guaranteed on such a crowded blue line, of course, but the early indicators are not especially encouraging for Arber Xhekaj.
Struble holds one clear advantage that is hard to ignore. He played the majority of the team’s playoff games ahead of Xhekaj, a tangible sign that the coaching staff currently prefers him in high-stakes situations. As The Sick Podcast put it, “Struble is probably a more complete defenseman than Xhekaj, even though Xhekaj remains the most physically intimidating player on the team.”
That assessment captures the tension. Xhekaj’s edge and physical presence remain unique assets. Yet the organization appears to value the more well-rounded game Struble has shown, particularly when the margin for error shrinks.
The battle at camp is expected to be fierce. Struble will need to be excellent if he wants to be in the lineup on September 29 for the season opener against Toronto. He is no longer competing solely with Xhekaj. Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher have also entered the conversation for a spot in the opening-night lineup, adding two more highly regarded prospects to an already competitive mix.
Waiver rules further complicate the picture. Reinbacher and Engstrom can be sent to Laval without risk. Struble and Xhekaj would both need to clear waivers, carrying the very real danger of being claimed by another team. That reality gives the coaching staff and management less flexibility with the two veterans of the group.
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If everyone is healthy, the most likely scenario is that Struble and Xhekaj split games. The decision could hinge on the opponent, with one preferred against faster teams and the other drawing in against more physical clubs. That is more or less the approach the Canadiens took last season.
Struble also holds another card that could prove decisive. He has developed strong chemistry with Lane Hutson and could slide in beside the dynamic young defender if injuries strike elsewhere on the blue line. There is a secondary consideration as well: giving Struble a few games alongside Hutson could raise his visibility and, potentially, his trade value on an overcrowded defense. That possibility would give general manager Kent Hughes additional options if the organization decides it needs to create breathing room.
None of this means Xhekaj is finished in Montreal. His physicality remains a rare commodity, and injuries or a strong camp performance could quickly change the calculus. But heading into September, the early signals point toward Struble as the preferred option for the sixth defensive spot, with Engstrom and Reinbacher waiting in the wings and waiver implications hanging over every decision.
The Canadiens’ blue line has depth and talent. It also has difficult choices. For now, the surprising odd man out to start the season looks more likely to be the player many once viewed as a future enforcer and power-play threat. Training camp will decide whether that assessment holds or whether Xhekaj forces the organization to rethink everything.