The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired veteran defenceman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals, the team announced Thursday.
The Maple Leafs will send the Capitals a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, originally acquired from the New York Islanders, and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, originally acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Washington is also retaining 50 per cent of Edmundson's $1.75-million cap hit, which means he will count $875,000 against the Leafs cap.
Edmundson is a rental as he’s in the final year of a four-year, $14-million deal signed with the Montreal Canadiens.
The Leafs have been looking to add physicality and depth to their blue line heading into the playoffs. Toronto also acquired Ilya Lyubushkin last week from the Anaheim Ducks to provide depth on the right side.
Edmundson has primarily played on the left side this season but is capable of moving over to the right.
The 30-year-old Edmundson, who was sidelined near the start of the season with a broken hand after also battling injuries the past two years, has one goal and five assists in 44 games this season.
The six-foot-five, 221-pounder brings good Stanley Cup experience to his new team. He won a Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and went to the Final with the Canadiens in 2021.
The Capitals acquired Edmundson in a trade with the rebuilding Canadiens last summer and the Canadiens are retaining 50 per cent of his salary from that trade.
The Brandon, Man., native, picked 46th overall by the Blues in the 2011 NHL Draft, has 29 goals and 81 assists for 110 points in 531 career games with St. Louis, the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal and Washington.
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