Veteran defenseman Alex Edler has had a long and successful career as a capable shutdown blueliner. However, at 37, he’s coming off a year that saw him in a very limited role so some had wondered if his playing days were coming to an end. While he doesn’t have a contract or tryout yet, that doesn’t appear to be Edler’s plan as Jeff Paterson of The Hockey News reports (Twitter link) that the rearguard is hoping to play in 2023-24.
Edler spent the bulk of his 17-year NHL career with Vancouver and had a 14-year stretch that saw him average a minimum of 20 minutes per night while recording at least 20 points in 13 of those. Not too many blueliners have that type of longevity. However, after an injury-riddled 2020-21 campaign, the Canucks opted to move on.
He quickly landed with Los Angeles for the 2021-22 campaign, inking a deal worth up to $3.5MM with bonuses. While Edler played well in limited action (he spent nearly three months on LTIR), he opted to forego testing the market last summer, instead signing for the league minimum with another $750K in potential bonuses, a deal that gave the Kings some extra flexibility to work with.
Unfortunately for Edler, last season wasn’t particularly strong. While he stayed healthy, he found himself a frequent scratch and when he did suit up, his ice time was limited to just 14:46 per game, by far his lowest ATOI since his rookie campaign back in 2006-07. Edler saw a bit of playoff action but his ice time was capped even lower. Basically, his performance last year wasn’t strong enough to command a guaranteed contract through the first two-plus months of free agency.
At this point of his career, Edler is likely to be relegated to the type of role he had last season as a sixth or seventh option who isn’t an every-game player. Those players still have their uses but it would need to be on a team-friendly contract that is at or near the minimum without bonuses. In the meantime, not too many of those deals are handed out at this point of the summer so if Edler wants to extend his career to an 18th NHL campaign, he may have to go the PTO route to do so.
He looked competent last year. Hopefully he finds something.
Ya Europe is calling go back home and play..
Edler was a good signing 2 years ago and was on a pace for 35+ points. Probably came back too soon after he broke his ankle as the Kings had a bunch of Defensemen injured and unfortunately he hasn’t been the same since!
Another one who can’t let go. They should really all take a look at Jonathan Quick, He has embarrassed himself over the last 2 to 3 seasons and if that’s not bad enough there’s a GM dumb enough to sign him.
Quick was bad last year, the year before he was pretty good! Chasing 400 wins!
Only thing that’s embarrassing is your comment
When you win a cup or better yet two cups you have to deal with the loyalty hangover. It always happens. Unless something forces them to change a front office will try to stay competitive past the point of reason.
It’s just human nature.
We don’t have any cups without Quick. I can forgive having paid him for a poor year at the very end for that exchange.
Based on Wilf’s babbling, pretty much every guy who has played more than five years should retire. Wilf is fun that way. Guys keep getting paid very well to sign a contract yet Yappin’ Wilf believes that they should go home. Please keep encouraging him to share his thoughts. His parody account is better than many of the posts.
Not dumb at all, Just facts.
It’s just the guys that hit that 34 to 35 year age group who clearly can’t do it well anymore who just can’t let go. It’s embarrassing!!!!! Of course there are a few exceptions. Crosby, And Pavelski come to mind.
Kings fan here watched almost all the games over the Edler era. Really solid player. His instincts are great. He just seemed slower last year.
The kings goalie situation was a mess last year. It may be that he could still be effective in a different system.
But, yeah, depth or third pairing.