The Nashville Predators bolstered their blue line on Friday, acquiring defenseman Jayden Struble from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick. It was the second Montreal defender that Nashville has brought on board this week, having added prospect William Trudeau off waivers. Now, the Predators have further defensive depth with Struble in the mix.
The Canadiens drafted the 25-year-old in the 2019 second round, and he appeared in 174 games with the club, tallying seven goals and 35 points. The issue for Struble was a lack of opportunity in Montreal. He wasn't in the lineup when the Predators took on the Canadiens during their matchup on Thursday, and he's been a healthy scratch throughout the past two seasons.
Montreal has had to think long term with its blue line, given that Kaiden Guhle is on his way back from adductor surgery in the offseason, and top prospect David Reinbacher is on the cusp of making his jump from the AHL to NHL. Getting a second-round selection -- originally owned by the Vegas Golden Knights -- for Struble stocks Montreal's draft capital and allows the Canadiens leverage in negotiations ahead of the March 1 trade deadline. The Canadiens have struggled to start the season, posting a 1-2-1 record.
Nashville has performed only slightly better, going 2-1-1.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing