The Washington Capitals decided to trade defenceman Joel Edmundson. Throughout his nine years in the league he has developed a reputation as a reliable defender. This bodes well for his new team and they have their sights set on a lengthy 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff run.
The Washington Capitals Trade Defenceman Joel Edmundson
NEWS | The Washington Capitals have acquired a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft (originally from NY Islanders) and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (originally from Chicago) from the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Joel Edmundson.
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2024
The 30-year-old defenceman has bounced around a bit in his NHL career. Washington had been his fourth NHL stop. In addition, he has been apart multiple lengthy playoff runs throughout his career. In five trips to the post season, he has played 75 games. Most notably of the runs, was the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship as a member of the St. Louis Blues. Edmundson isn’t going to do anything flashy, but you can bank on a consistent, playoff veteran to help you on your run. His career-high in points is 20 from 2019-20. Additionally, he has always been around 18 or 19 minutes a night, except this year his minutes have been down. The bonus of this, is that he will be fresh.
What Does the Joel Edmundson Trade Mean for the Washington Capitals?
Edmundson hasn’t contributed a lot for Washington thus far in 2023-24, so they will be able to replace his load. The Capitals have surprised this season, but with the lack of ice time for Edmundson, why not trade the veteran for an asset. They are always looking to build for the future, and given Edmundson’s usage, it seems he’s not apart of that vision. Washington has snuck around the playoff picture most of the year, but aren’t too intent on contending. So, it makes sense to get an asset in return for a proven playoff contributor.
What Does This Mean for his Lucky New Team
Picking up Edmundson is definitely not adding a golden chalice to your dinner table centrepiece. However, as we have alluded to his playoff record, he is a perfect depth addition. His locker room presence from his multiple playoff runs, will provide excellent veteran savvy.
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