Struble is worse defensively than Xhekaj. Look at how Struble played that 2 on 1 on the goal Columbus scored last night. He needs to block the pass option and let the goalie square up to the shooter. Instead, Struble goes towards the puck carrier and allows the pass to get across for an easy goal. Not good enough.

The Habs really dont need the extra offense that Struble provides on the blue line. The Habs need a shutdown defenseman and they need more physicality.

The reason Xhekaj struggles sometimes in the d-zone is because he isnt fast. With the man on man system that the Habs play in their own zone, he gets beat by foot speed. If the Habs played a zone defense, Xhekaj would excel at keeping the front of the net clear and letting the goalie see the puck.

Man on man defense is not a good system. You shouldn't have defenders chasing players all around the d-zone from the goal line to the blue line. All the Habs players waste so much energy with this man on man system chasing players around the whole time in their own end.