The Washington Capitals are close to solidifying their defense corps. Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, they’re working on a deal to acquire left-shot Joel Edmundson from the Montreal Canadiens. Per TSN’s Darren Dreger, Montreal is receiving draft picks in return. Those picks are a 2024 third-round pick and a 2024 seventh-rounder. The Canadiens are retaining 50% of Edmundson’s $3.5MM cap hit as part of the deal.
This is a trade that’s easy to like from both sides of the equation. For Washington, they get to add an accomplished veteran defenseman who is both a respected stay-at-home blueliner as well as a valued locker-room leader. While he’s had injury issues crop up more recently during his tenure in Montreal, Edmundson is a Stanley Cup champion with significant playoff experience.
He’s provided the Canadiens with steady play and at times a ferocious net-front presence. He’s likely a better fit on a bottom-pairing with penalty-killing time than he is as a bona fide top-four player.
Thankfully in Washington they have the type of defensive depth that will allow new head coach Spencer Carbery to utilize Edmundson how he prefers.
With Rasmus Sandin and Martin Fehervary already penciled into slots on Washington’s left side, Edmundson is likely to pair with Trevor Van Riemsdyk, giving Washington a bulletproof third-pairing that Carbery can deploy in high-leverage defensive situations. With 50% retention, it’s hard to argue at the draft pick cost for the Capitals.
As for Montreal’s side of the equation, it undoubtedly hurts to lose Edmundson’s locker room leadership for their young team. But Montreal has a crop of young blueliners that’ll need ice time to develop, and with Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj, and Kaiden Guhle all left-handers, not to mention veteran Mike Matheson, there simply wasn’t room for Edmundson if the priority in Montreal is player development.
By retaining salary, Montreal gets the best possible draft compensation to further their rebuild, while also clearing space for their growing group of promising young blueliners.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I guess they’re giving up on Alexeyev, and Orlov won’t be back.
As a Caps fan, I don’t like it. We ain’t gonna win the Stanley Cup anytime soon. This is just wasting assets. And we also need a scoring forward, if we’re gonna keep on with this “we’re still competitive” fiction.
As a Habs fan I approve this trade
@Carson
The only thing I hate more than happy Habs is happy Pens fans, happy Flyers fans, happy Leafs fans, happy Rangers fans, happy Bruins fans, happy….
So you hate life. Gotcha
@Carson
No, Dr. Phil, just the Eastern Conference. One can enjoy a full, rich life, and still despise obnoxious rival fan bases.
A 7th and a 3rd ain’t TOO bad. I was afraid it’d be a 2nd. But still rather not give up assets, for a guy of his skill set, or lack thereof. I hope Carbery doesn’t sit Alexeyev for weeks, like Laviolette did.
I think you will change your mind. He’s a solid defenseman.
Now they can draft some more goalies in next years draft.
I’m as Habs fan. This is a solid trade for the capitals. Edmundson was loved and respected in the dressing room and hated by rival forwards in front of the net. He has been to two finals and is a playoff warrior. At 50% retained it’s a sweet deal. If healthy the fan base will grow to love the guy.