Stu Cowan: Joel Edmundson hopes his future is with the Canadiens

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Thursday evening’s season-ending 5-4 loss to the Boston Bruins on the Bell Centre may have been the ultimate sport in a Canadiens uniform for a number of gamers.

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Joel Edmundson is one among them.

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The veteran defenceman in all probability would have been dealt earlier than the NHL commerce deadline on March 3 if he hadn’t missed the primary 10 video games of the season with a again damage and was then sidelined for 11 extra video games when his again acted up once more in late January. Edmundson solely returned to the lineup on March 2, that means different groups weren’t keen to take a threat on a 29-year-old with a historical past of again issues on the commerce deadline.

Edmundson didn’t miss a sport since March 2, however this has been a tough season for him. The 6-foot-5, 221-pounder completed the season with 2-11-13 totals in 61 video games to associate with a team-worst minus-29 differential. Solely 18 gamers within the NHL have a worse plus/minus.

Edmundson has one season remaining on his contract with a $3.5-million salary-cap hit earlier than he can grow to be an unrestricted free agent. The very fact he was capable of keep heathy and within the lineup for the final 22 video games would possibly pique the curiosity of different groups throughout the summer season in terms of a potential commerce. However his worth will in all probability be increased on the commerce deadline subsequent season if he can keep wholesome that lengthy.

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Edmundson is a confirmed playoff performer, profitable the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. He additionally helped the Canadiens advance to the Stanley Cup remaining in 2021 as one of many 4 “Clydesdales” on the blue line — a time period utilized by former assistant coach Luke Richardson — together with Shea Weber, Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot. Edmundson is the one a kind of 4 nonetheless with the Canadiens.

Whereas Edmundson struggled on the ice this season, his management position grew, even when he wasn’t within the lineup. On the Canadiens’ golf match final September, when Nick Suzuki was formally named the youngest captain in franchise historical past at age 23, Edmundson and Brendan Gallagher have been named assistant captains. It’s a task Edmundson takes very critically.

“I believe I’ve grown as a pacesetter this 12 months, so I undoubtedly wish to carry that on,” he stated after a current observe. “We bought a bunch of younger guys and never many aged guys on the crew. I like the position, so it’s one thing I wish to maintain constructing on. I simply wish to have a really progressive and wholesome summer season and are available again stronger, higher, quicker subsequent 12 months and have an amazing season.”

Through the third interval of Thursday’s sport, Edmundson dropped the gloves and put a beating on A.J. Greer as payback for a cross-check to the face the Bruin delivered to the Canadiens’ Mike Hoffman the earlier time these two groups met.

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Different gamers who might need performed their remaining sport with the Canadiens Thursday embrace forwards Jonathan Drouin, Denis Gurianov and Chris Tierney. Drouin and Tierney can grow to be unrestricted free brokers this summer season, whereas Gurianov can grow to be a restricted free agent with the Canadiens capable of maintain him by making a US$2.9 million qualifying provide. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes may also be seeking to transfer Hoffman, who has one season left on his contract with a $4.5-million salary-cap hit.

If Hughes doesn’t commerce Edmundson or some other defencemen throughout the summer season, there will likely be a logjam on the blue line when coaching camp begins. The Canadiens have veterans Edmundson, Mike Matheson, David Savard and Chris Wideman, together with 5 rookies who performed common roles this season: Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Justin Barron, Arber Xhekaj and Johnathan Kovacevic. It appears unlikely that Hughes would wish to half with Matheson or Savard, whereas Wideman has one season left on his contract with a salary-cap hit of US$762,500 and could possibly be positioned on waivers to make room for a youthful defenceman.

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“It’s at all times behind your head, however there’s nothing I can do,” Edmundson stated when requested if he’s involved about his future. “I’m simply going to arrange for subsequent season.”

He additionally has a message for his younger teammates heading into the low season.

“It’s a troublesome league,” Edmundson stated. “You need to present up each evening and there’s going to be accidents, so you bought to at all times be able to play. I believe going into the summer season, simply realizing how laborious it’s to play on this league and the way laborious it’s to achieve success. So simply have that mindset of how a lot work you must put in throughout the low season to have that crew that may compete and go to the playoffs.

“I’ve advised these younger guys that playoffs is a special league by itself,” he added. “It’s the NHL on steroids, I name it. You simply need to have that mindset to take these off-seasons critically so that you might be prepared for an excellent season.”

Edmundson has a robust bond with the Canadiens as a result of his father, Bob, was a lifelong fan of the crew whereas dwelling in Brandon, Man. Sadly, Bob handed away final 12 months at age 61 after battling lung most cancers.

When requested if in an ideal world he’d prefer to be again with the Canadiens subsequent season, Edmundson didn’t hesitate to reply.

“Completely!”

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