Leafs acquiring defenceman Joel Edmundson from Capitals for draft picks
Posted March 7, 2024 11:49 am.
Last Updated March 7, 2024 11:50 am.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired veteran defenceman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.
The Maple Leafs will send the Capitals a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, originally acquired from the New York Islanders, and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, originally acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Washington is also retaining 50 per cent of Edmundson’s $1.75 million cap hit.
Edmundson is a rental as he’s in the final year of a four-year, $14-million deal originally signed with the Montreal Canadiens.
The 30-year-old Edmundson, who was sidelined near the start of the season with a broken hand after also battling injuries the past two years, has one goal and five assists in 44 games this season.
The six-foot-five, 221-pounder brings good Stanley Cup experience to his new team. He won a Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and went to the Final with the Canadiens in 2021.
The Capitals acquired Edmundson in a trade with the rebuilding Canadiens last summer and the Canadiens are retaining 50 per cent of his salary from that trade.
The Brandon, Man. native, picked 46th overall by the Blues in the 2011 NHL Draft, has 29 goal and 81 assists for 110 points in 531 career games with St. Louis, the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal and Washington.
