The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline.
The Leafs traded a 2024 third-round pick that previously belonged to the New York Islanders and a 2025 fifth-round pick that belonged to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Capitals retained 50% of Edmundson's salary, leaving Toronto with a $875,000 cap hit for the defenseman.
Edmundson, 30, has appeared in 44 games this season -- averaging 16:26 per game -- and has a goal and six assists. This is Edmundson's ninth NHL season, having played 521 games with the Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues. He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 with the Blues and played for the Cup in 2021 with the Canadiens.
Toronto was searching for another veteran for the right side of their defense that could bring some physicality. Edmundson, who stands at 6-foot-5, is a defensive defenseman who blocks shots and had 112 hits in 61 games last season for Montreal.
The Capitals now have 25 total picks in the next three drafts, as they continue to look toward the future while still building a contender around Alex Ovechkin during his pursuit of the NHL goal-scoring record.