The Washington Capitals traded defenseman Joel Edmundson to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick on Thursday. The 30-year-old can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Washington acquired Edmundson from the Montreal Canadiens on July 1 of last year for third- and seventh-round picks. Montreal retained 50% ($1.75 million) of his $3.5 million cap hit for this season and Washington retained 50% ($875,000) of his remaining cap hit in this deal.
While averaging 16:26 per game (sixth among Washington defensemen), including 1:31 shorthanded (fifth), Edmundson recorded a goal, six points, a -5 rating, 47.65% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 46.47% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 48.38% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 44 games this season. He missed the first 14 due to a fractured hand.
Here’s Edmundson’s microstat card from this season, quite consistent with last year’s. The higher-than-expected offensive impact is attributable to some okay puck-moving ability. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/SyC3eqp2dE
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) March 7, 2024
In 521 career NHL games with Washington, Montreal, the Carolina Hurricanes, and St. Louis Blues, Edmundson has 29 goals and 110 points.
In 75 career postseason outings, he has earned six goals, 21 points, and a +7 rating. Edmundson won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 and made the Stanley Cup Final with Montreal in 2021.
Washington continues to sell after trading left-wing Anthony Mantha to the Vegas Golden Knights for 2024 second- and 2026 fourth-round picks on Tuesday.
Washington’s 5-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday pushed them seven points back of the Tampa Bay Lightning (who they have three games in hand on) for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and Philadelphia Flyers (three) for third place in Metropolitan Division. They collected points in six of their previous eight (4-2-2), including a five-game point-streak (4-0-1) where they defeated Tampa Bay, the New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia (all teams they are fighting for positioning with) before Sunday’s setback.
The NHL Trade Deadline is Friday at 3 PM ET. Left-wing Max Pacioretty, goaltender Charlie Lindgren, left-wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel, right-wing Beck Malenstyn, and defenseman Nick Jensen have all garnered interest on the trade market. Pacioretty and Aube-Kubel can also become unrestricted free agents after this season.
Washington visits the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night (7 PM ET, Monumental Sports Network in-market, ESPN+ out-of-market) before the deadline.
By Harrison Brown
