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Canadiens Trade Talk

Canadiens Trade Joel Edmundson to Capitals Providing Cap Relief

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5 months ago

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Montreal Canadiens defenceman Joel Edmundson

According to Darren Dreger, the Montreal Canadiens have traded one of their veteran defencemen to the Washington Capitals.

The Habs received a third-round pick (Minnesota Wild) and a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Joel Edmundson.

The Canadiens will retain 50% of Edmundson’s contract next season.

Edmundson, 30, dealt with significant injuries over the course of the last two seasons, including back issues, which severely limited his impact with the team. Edmundson had two goals and 11 assists in 61 games last year, acting as a defensive defenceman on the ice, as well as a mentor for rookie defencemen such as Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, and Jordan Harris in the locker room.

He’s known as one of the most genuine and affable people in the hockey world, and tends to fit in perfectly in the locker room, making life a little easier on the young players that have not yet found their rhythm in the NHL.

He has one year left on his four-year contract that pays him an annual average value (AAV) of $3.5 million.

As for his on-ice play, it’s only fair to say Edmundson struggled last season, though it’s also important to note he probably shouldn’t have been playing big minutes given his health issues.

The Canadiens had two issues heading into free agency: a lack of salary cap space and a lack of roster spots. Trading Edmundson to the Capitals helps alleviate both problems.

MUST READ: Montreal Canadiens Salary Cap Outlook And Projected Lineup Heading Into Free Agency

The Canadiens also traded some of their draft capital during the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, including the 31st and 37th overall picks in exchange for Colorado Avalanche forward Alex Newhook. Picking up draft picks in a trade for Edmundson isn’t just a smart deal, it helps restock the cupboard for future drafts, a key aspect of any rebuild.

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Tyrone

Really liked Edmundson. Wish him the best in Washington. Thankfully, that’s one body out on D. We need to still move out Savard and Wideman to ensure Matheson, Guhle, Harris, Xhekaj, Barron & Kovacevic are our 6 full-time D core. The return definitely shows how dramatically the trade market has shifted. It wasn’t long ago Eddie was rumoured to be worth a 1st + a top prospect, and possibly more. Injuries blew that opportunity for us unfortunately.

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peter

A mere shadow of the player he was 2 years ago, went from +28 to -29 a difference of 57 goals which is an incredible drop-off. To get anything for him is a plus normally he would have been a buyout candidate. Another plus on TSN if the abysmal announcer Bryan Mudryk comes back I won’t have to hear him calling him Edmonton on every second shift. To think TSN moved Dan Robertson to Winnipeg & we instead have to hear the pathetic Mudryk, the worst play by play announcer in Canadien’s history.

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peter

Also Edmundson just turned 30 he looks 10 years older as well.

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mike g

Finally someone other than me who cant stand Mudryk. OMG he’s painful to listen to.

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Jory

I like Mudryk as TSN’s voice of the Habs broadcasts. He brings excitement to the broadcast, and I believe he can make a dull game better with that excitement. I also like Dan Robertson even though I find him to be a bit dull. Both are major improvements over Bob Cole, whose voice and “oh baby” I couldn’t take any more. I also like Chris Cuthbert, but I don’t like his voice because he sounds like he needs to clear his throat all the. This is not a criticism of Cuthbert because it is a highly personal opinion.

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Dave

So his injuries and last place and 5th last finishes were not supposed to effect his +/- which is now and archaic stat.

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