Jayden Struble: Lessons learned

MONTREAL -- The first thing that comes to mind when discussing Canadiens prospect Jayden Struble is his physical prowess.

Standing 6-feet and tipping the scales at 205 pounds, he stands among the most physically gifted athletes in the NCAA. And given he's just 18 years old, he may not even be done growing.
"It's hard to ignore his physical attributes," explains Northeastern coach Jim Madigan. "Especially when you see how chiseled he is. He came in as an 18-year-old and was holding his own against 23 and 24-year-old men.
"Jayden is a specimen."
But focusing on his strength -- as impressive as it may be -- would be a disservice to the rest of Struble's skill set.
Yes, he's big and strong, but there's so much more to it than that.
"People see the body, the physical aspect, but they just don't appreciate the skill this young man has," said Madigan. "He's a hockey player that brings a physical element to his game, and not vice versa. He has a good stick, explosive skating, an offensive touch, and is very intelligent."

High praise from a man that has forgotten more about hockey than many will ever know, especially when you consider Struble's rocky road start to his NCAA career.
An injury at Canadiens development camp last June left Struble on the sidelines as the rest of Northeastern's roster prepared for the 2019-20 season. What's more, Struble was making the jump from prep school hockey to the NCAA, which involves a significant uptick in team-focused strategy.
Players can coast on talent up to that point, but once you join the collegiate ranks, things take on a much more professional tone. For many, it's an introduction to the crucial tactical aspect of the game, one that focuses on particular strategies and intricate details rather than pure skill.
And though it was a challenging return to play given the circumstance -- Struble initially struggled to absorb and put to good use the overabundance of new information -- he quickly found his rhythm, becoming one of Northeastern's most important defensemen in the process.

"He didn't get back on the ice until September," said Madigan. "He missed all of training camp, and that's very difficult. Think of it; A rookie missing out on all the system work and planning! That's a baptism by fire, quite frankly.
"He learned the systems, but he never had to execute them," said Madigan. "It took him a few games to get up to speed. But around the six or seventh game, you saw things start to come together for him. He was feeling the pace and tempo of the game, he was making the right decisions right away, and his conditioning was excellent. Keep in mind, no matter how long you spend in the gym, if you don't play, you're not in game shape."
The game shape Madigan is referring to involves explosive skating, a key element in Struble's offensive arsenal. Specifically, his ability to join the rush at the perfect time, using his long and powerful strides to quickly transition from defense to offense in the blink of an eye.
In hockey, we often hear the following: 'He's very fast...for a big guy'.
But when it comes to Struble, there's no need to qualify it.
He's fast, full stop.
"He skates well for a hockey player," said Madigan. "He's got that explosiveness to his stride. It helps him drive offense, all the while maintaining proper defensive positioning."

But like every prospect before him, there are aspects to Struble's game that require work.
He wants to improve his gap control at the blue line, refine his play in the defensive zone, and build upon his confidence.
They're not weaknesses per se, but Struble's modus operandi places an onus on improving oneself at every opportunity possible, both on and off the ice.
It's a mentality that comes directly from the time Struble spent with his grandfather Paul, Jayden's role model growing up.
Paul coached Struble from the very beginning, introducing him to the fastest sport on earth when he was just three years old.
It was love at first skate -- though, one could argue it was yet another baptism by fire.
Paul coached older teams but wanted to include his grandson in the mix.
Just as he did in his freshman season with Northeastern, Struble learned to play against much older players.

"Poppa made it fun, too," said Struble. "And it went way beyond hockey. He was my father-figure growing up. He helped me do a lot. And he was always there for everything I needed.
"He was the biggest influence I had growing up. He was my role model, along with my mom. He was hard on me, but my best memories playing hockey are with him as a coach. He always nudged me in the right direction. I couldn't be more thankful.
"And my mom? She did everything while being a single mom, taking care of me and my two stepbrothers. And she also had a huge role in taking care of my nanna for so many years. It kind of flies under the radar as a kid, but looking back, she did so much. And now, I can finally appreciate the effort she put in. I learned a lot from her."
As much as he learned the ins-and-outs of the sport from his hockey family at Northeastern, the most important lessons took place in the household, watching his mother, Tara Slack, take care of his paternal grandmother, Kathy, who was afflicted with multiple sclerosis prior to her passing last summer.
Forcing your way onto a NCAA team following an injury as an 18-year-old doesn't seem like much of a challenge after you've watched someone dedicate a significant portion of their life to taking care of a family member.
Perhaps that's why Struble doesn't lose sight of the moment. He's not overly worried about his NHL aspirations. Not yet, anyhow. Yes, he wants to make the NHL, but there are other more pressing challenges in the near future.
He wants to focus on the task at hand; another successful run with Northeastern, and maybe even a third-consecutive Beanpot title.
Though he does admit he was taken aback the first time he arrived in Brossard.

In fact, he was convinced he was further north.
"Honestly, I didn't know that was the practice rink!" said Struble. " I thought it was the actual NHL rink because of the size and amenities involved. It was amazing."
One can only picture the awe and amazement that will take place once he makes his way to the Bell Centre.
But for now, thanks to the focus and dedication instilled by his grandfather and mother, Struble has his eyes firmly set on the NCAA prize.