“I’ve made a name for myself and I hope to continue” – Jayden Strobel who is a revelation on the blue line

Jayden Strobel has always been profiled as a quick and strong defender, but not one who energizes the offense. In his first steps in the NHL, Strobel received praise from Martin St. Louis and his teammates for his complete game, with and without the puck.

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In strictly stats terms, Strobel was nothing like Bobby Orr. In his four seasons with the Northeast Huskies, the Canadiens’ second-round pick in 2019 scored three goals twice. In other seasons, he hit the target twice and once.

He had his best offensive season at Northeastern in his third season with 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 34 games. In 2022-23, his final season on the bench, he collected just 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) in 31 games.

After signing his first professional contract in March 2023, an MLS deal with the Rockets, he picked up a minor assist in nine games at Laval.

In short, before this season, Strobel did not have the resume of a defender with offensive potential. For Martin St. Louis, Strobel’s numbers at Northeastern don’t matter.

“It depends on the context. You have to be careful not to put a player in the box when he’s young,” St. Louis recalls. “You don’t know how he’s asked to play. You don’t know his responsibilities. You’re not sure what his ceiling is and what he can absorb. In some “Sometimes you unlock one thing here and take it to another level. We have to be careful not to put a young man in a box. I think we’re good here, as an organization, at taking care of that.”

“You have to see how far an athlete can go. See if there’s another level. So far I think Stroops is showing us another level. That’s encouraging.”

Two goals in his last three matches

Recalled from the Rocket on November 20, the American has never moved beyond his role on the blue line in the last 11 games. Used for less than 13 minutes per game (12:45), he provides a stable game defensively and his readings of the game allow him to come forward when necessary.

Strobel scored his first NHL goal against his good friend Devon Levy and the Sabers last Saturday in Buffalo and a few days later scored his first goal at the Bell Center against childhood star Sidney Crosby against the Penguins.

So he has two goals in his last three games and three points in his first 11 NHL games.

When asked if he himself was surprised by his offensive contribution, he answered in the negative.

“Not really,” he said. It’s part of my game, I’m a good skater. “I’ve gained confidence, so I feel better holding the puck.”

“I find myself in a better place physically and mentally today. I’m putting myself in better environments to be successful. I’m just playing hockey. I don’t feel any outside pressure, I just want to do my job every day and deserve my next existence.”

At Northeastern, Strobel spent a lot of time in the infirmary, which greatly slowed his progress.

Interesting player

Strobel is Trevor Timmins’ legacy. After the 2019 draft, Timmins called him a rare phenomenon for his athleticism. In a burst of enthusiasm, the recruiting expert at the time compared him to Charlie McAvoy.

When he was reminded of this comparison, he couldn’t help but smile.

“The step is too high! But I want to improve my skating skills, to be more comfortable, and when that happens, maybe the puck will be a little more on my board.

Before considering a big name among NHL defensemen, Strobel is simply aiming to extend his stay in Montreal.

He has the same mentality as last year where he chose to stay loyal to the Canadian despite knowing there were many young defensemen within the organization.

“My approach was that I was going to have to win office, no matter where,” he said. There are a lot of good players to be afraid of. If I do what I have to do, I will stand myself in good stead. Now I try to start off on the right foot. “I think I’ve done that, I’ve made a name for myself, and I hope I can continue.”

But when we ask him if he has a feeling of winning office since his recall, he hits the nail on the head of realism.

“I don’t know, but I practice every day. It’s always special to see my number on the board.”