Heading into the offseason, Kings GM Rob Blake had a plan. Things seem like they’re coming together for LA too. On Monday, the team reportedly signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Joel Edmundson to a four-year deal with an AAV of $3.8M per season.
UPDATE: Maybe?
Back in 2020, the Kings were believed to have pursued Edmundson up until the final hours before he signed with the Montreal Canadiens. At 6-foot-5 and 221 lbs., the 31-year-old was a hot commodity coming off the role he played in helping St. Louis win a Stanley Cup in 2019. After re-signing on a one-year deal that summer, the Blues eventually moved him to Carolia at the NHL Trade Deadline the next spring. As a UFA a few months later, LA was in hot pursuit before ultimately losing out to Montreal, when the Canadiens offered him a four-year deal with modified No Trade protection. In the final year of that deal, he was dealt to Washington. We believe LA again looked at him as a possible trade acquisition around that time in 2023.
Following several stops the last few seasons, Edmundson likely was looking for a firm home and a potential deal with LA could provide just that.
From a Kings perspective, his size and experience should help. They’d be getting a player who has been through the grind of deep playoff runs and understands what it takes to win. That’s key, as the Kings look to take the next step. We would expect him to slot in on the third pair, opposite Brandt Clarke — see here for lineup projection.
Interestingly enough, Edmundson played his junior hockey with Moose Jaw of the WHL — the same team recently acquired forward Tanner Jeannout was with. However, they just missed each other by a year, with Edmundson being just a little bit older. The latter did have a slight connection to the Kings organization while there, though. Mike Stothers was Edmundson’s head coach in the WHL.
Since breaking into the NHL on Oct. 8, 2015, Edmundson has gone on to play over 500 games. He’s a big, rugged, left shot who will chip in with a few goals each year, but is primarily known for his defense.
In some ways, this would be a deal similar to when the Kings signed veteran Alex Edler a few summers ago. Only Edmundson is younger, a few inches taller, and has won a Cup.
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