The Montreal Canadiens are a team that fans across the NHL will be watching quite closely at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. This is entirely understandable, as they are currently at the very bottom of the Atlantic Division standings with a 20-27-4 record. Due to this, one player who has been picking up a lot of buzz in the rumor mill is veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson.
Edmundson is exactly the kind of defenseman that playoff teams would love to get their hands on. This is because he plays a very responsible game defensively and is immensely physical in the process. With that, he has a Stanley Cup on his resume and is a quality leader, as his alternate captaincy with the Canadiens effectively shows. Due to all of this, it should not be surprising to hear that the Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams linked to him.
On paper, there is a perfect match here, as the Oilers could certainly use some help on the left side of their defensive group. Furthermore, Edmundson would be a notable upgrade on the second pairing over Brett Kulak, and he would be the perfect partner for offensive defenseman Tyson Barrie. With that, Edmundson would give the Oilers some much-needed physicality as they prepare for their playoff run this spring.
To acquire Edmundson, the Oilers would likely need to part ways with a second-round pick and prospect as a starting point. With that, due to the Oilers’ limited cap space, the Canadiens would likely need to retain some of his salary or take on a contract from Edmonton. Warren Foegele and Jesse Pulujarvi stand out as possible players to throw into this deal to make it come to fruition.
Nevertheless, we will need to wait and see if the Canadiens decide to part ways with Edmundson at the deadline. If they can land a solid return from the Oilers for the veteran defenseman, they should at least consider the prospect of doing business with them. Alas, time will tell what happens on that front from here.
