Canadiens Defenceman On Edmonton Oilers’ Shopping List

The Montreal Canadiens aren’t outright shopping their veterans, but one of them is now confirmed to be on the Edmonton Oilers’ radar.

On a recent segment of Insider Trading, NHL Insider Pierre Lebrun spoke about the growing inevitability of the Edmonton Oilers looking to trade for a defenceman, with one of their top targets being veteran defenceman Joel Edmundson.

“Edmonton now looking to be buyers leading up to March 3rd at the area we’ve been talking about all season: on the blue line,” said Lebrun on what the Oilers are looking for this off-season. “A couple of names to keep in mind. I know they’ve discussed internally of both John Klingberg and Joel Edmundson as part of their list of D that they’re looking at.”

There’s been speculation as of late that the fit would be perfect between Edmundson and the Oilers, given their need for more defensive structure, rather than more offence from the back end.

Given Edmundson would not be a pure rental, with the extra year on his $3.5M per annum deal, he may be a more attractive prize for the Oilers, as salary retention would likely be needed to acquire Klingberg, and that’s if the Oilers aren’t on his No-Trade list.

“Klingberg has struggled a little bit this year with the Anaheim Ducks specifically knowing he’d be flipped for the deadline and has a full no-trade clause, but, on January 1st, that changes to a modified no-trade with 10 teams he could be traded to,” said Lebrun on the situation. “Totally different with Joel Edmundson, a shutdown defenceman, leadership guy, Stanley Cup pedigree. The Habs aren’t looking to move him, by the way, but they’re obviously willing to listen, given where they are in their retooling, they’re willing to listen on most of the veterans.”

With the Oilers among a few teams lining up for responsible and experienced defencemen, the Canadiens, who aren’t openly shopping their veteran defender, may have a few offers headed their way yet again.

They already listened to a few offers on Edmundson this summer, and interest seems to be picking up yet again.

https://montreal.nationalhockeynow.com/2022/09/12/nhl-trade-report-teams-calling-canadiens-about-edmundson/