The Toronto Maple Leafs made their first major splash of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline season, acquiring both Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues. O’Reilly is naturally the big-name player in this deal, as he will give the Maple Leafs another legitimate top-six center and a marvelous leader with a Stanley Cup on his resume. Yet, Acciari is an underrated addition, as he provides excellent secondary scoring, immense physicality, and strong defensive play.
Although the Maple Leafs have made a significant move, it appears that they might not be done just yet. According to The Fourth Period, Toronto is one of the many teams currently being linked to Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson.
The Canadiens are heading into the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline with the expectation of being major sellers. Edmundson is one of their biggest trade targets, so he naturally is receiving plenty of attention on the market. When noting that he is a 6-foot-4 defensive defenseman who plays a heavy game and is defensively responsible, it makes sense that the Maple Leafs are considering the prospect of bringing him in for their playoff run.
Edmundson would be more than a rental for the Maple Leafs if they acquire him, as he carries a $3.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2023-24 season. Yet, when noting that he has the potential to be a major upgrade to their bottom pairing and penalty kill, it could be an avenue worth exploring. This is especially the case if the Canadiens retain half his salary in a hypothetical move.
In 39 games this season, Edmundson has one goal, six points, and 64 hits. Although he is not dominant offensively, his defensive reliability would certainly make him a fine addition to the Maple Leafs’ roster.
