Blue Line Station
Fansided

Edmundson and Haula could boost Rangers’ defensive play

By Scott Esposito

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 04: James Reimer #47 of the Carolina Hurricanes talks with Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers after Game Three of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 04, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 04: James Reimer #47 of the Carolina Hurricanes talks with Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers after Game Three of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 04, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /
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Rangers Brett Howden and Brendan Smith, and Carolina’s Joel Edmundson (left). (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
Rangers Brett Howden and Brendan Smith, and Carolina’s Joel Edmundson (left). (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Joel Edmundson, Defense, UFA

Plus

Edmundson is big (6-foot-4, 215 pounds), relatively young (27 years old), and experienced (he helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019).

He also plays the left side, which is a big plus for the Rangers, who are loaded on the right with Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, and Tony DeAngelo (assuming the team re-signs the restricted free agent). Edmundson would join Ryan Lindgren on the left, along with veterans Marc Staal and Brendan Smith (both of whom will become UFA’s after the 2020-21 season).

Edmundson, chosen in the second round (46th overall) in the 2011 Entry Draft, spent four seasons with the Blues, notching 13 goals, 39 assists, and 248 penalty minutes, while averaging just over 18 minutes of ice time in 269 games.

In 68 games for Carolina last season, he had seven goals, 13 assists, 72 PIMs. and averaged 18:27 of ice. He also had 91 blocks, 118 hits, and a Fenwick-For percentage of 50.9. As a member of the Blues, he notched 413 blocks, 531 hits, and a FF% of 50.8.

He’s coming off a one-year deal that carried a $3.1 million cap hit. Evolvinghockey.com (subscription required) projects Edmundson to receive a multi-year deal in the neighborhood of $4.9 million per. The projection is based on the signing period falling between October 12 and June 30, 2021.

Minus

Edmundson is a tough guy, but he’s missed time because of injuries. In February 2018, he suffered a broken right forearm after being hit by a shot and missed six weeks.

Last month, after pairing with former Ranger Brady Skjei to frustrate the Blueshirts in the Qualifying Round, Edmundson scored in the opening game of the first round against Boston but was deemed “unfit to play” for the remainder of the series (won by the Bruins in five).

The Rangers obviously would have to check whether Edmundson is damaged goods before offering him a contract.

Also, Edmundson doesn’t generate the offense that DeAngelo does. DeAngelo is a restricted free agent projected to receive a five-year deal worth $5.5 million per. The Rangers will have to decide whether keeping DeAngelo strictly for his offensive production is worth more than adding a solid, physical defensive defenseman for pretty much the same fee.

Next up, a look at Haula.

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