Confirmed with Link: Habs Acquire Rights to Joel Edmundson from Carolina for a 2020 5th Round Pick (Pick #139)

[Burke the Legend]

Initial take is not a big fan of this, wanted a premium acquisition on LD but I'll give management the benefit of the doubt. I can see some logic to the idea of giving better protection to the goalies after the investment they just made on them, really ensure they have D in front of them to bring down those high percentage chances. Edmundson has the experience of playing in tight systems like St Louis, so fine, pro scouting and management think it can work, who am I to second guess. Maybe also MB feels he can bargain Edmundson cheap before UFA market opens, given the uncertainty of the market this off-season.

So you can see the plan forming for the D & goaltending, looks ok enough. Sets the table for the real challenge, what happens up front...

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

I don't mind at all that Bergy is improving the defense and team size/toughness. It is clearly weaknesses right now IMO. However, Joel Edmundson, even as a good add that I already wanted last season, is not the answer now. I think we need a good puck moving producing D and size and toughness on forwards. This team is built like Habs always do : small forwards with big defensemans :

- The Koivu/Perreault/Petrov/Zednik/Gilmour/Juneau with Rivet/Quintal/Dykhuis/Souray/Traverse era
- The Koivu/Zednik/Ribeiro/Kovalev/Ryder etc. with Souray/Rivet/Komisarek/Simpson era
- The Plekanec/Gomez/Gionta/Cammalleri with Harmlik/Gill/Mara/O'Byrne/Sopel era
- The Desharnais/Pacioretty/Gallagher/Gionta with Emelin/Tinordi/Murray era

Now the Tatar/Danault/Domi/Gallagher/Suzuki/Drouin/Byron with Weber/Petry/Chiarot/Fleury/Edmundson era.

Never really worked, they should instead focus on improve the forward size

That, right there, is the golden age of my Habs fandom. Every single game they played was an event I cherished, I actively looked forward to Boston/MTL games WEEKS in advance, I would be freaking passionated about this team. From 2005 to 2010 I would say. But especially between 2005 and 2008.

 

[Mrb1p]

That, right there, is the golden age of my Habs fandom. Every single game they played was an event I cherished, I actively looked forward to Boston/MTL games WEEKS in advance, I would be freaking passionated about this team. From 2005 to 2010 I would say. But especially between 2005 and 2008.

I gotta say that up until PK left, games were still always exciting. 2015-2015 was the last time the Habs played good hockey, imo. That was mostly on PK being PK though.

 

[Tuggy]

I'm fine with this deal**. If they can sign him to the same type of deal as Chiarot, I'd be fine with that.

** I'm fine with the deal as long as this is not MB's last solution for the defense. It still needs an upgrade.

And it's important to have good depth on defense. We saw that first hand with what we had to roll out in these playoffs.

 

[Hins77]

Im wondering why he didnt spoke to the media yet? Most of the time, when they acquire a player. He has a conference with media soon after

 

[Mikah]

ideally you'd want something like,

xxxx Weber
Chia Petry
Edmundson Romanov
Kulak Juulsen

That's exactly the problem with signing Edmundson. Yes, he adds experience and grit over the other 4-5 players that can fill the 3rd pair, but essentially, his contract means approximately $4M less in cap space to fill that xxxx in your chart. It is a lot of money to only marginally improve the team.

It is too much money for a 3rd pair D, and he should not be playing in the top 4.

 

[HBDay]

Im wondering why he didnt spoke to the media yet? Most of the time, when they acquire a player. He has a conference with media soon after

Because he is not a montreal canadiens yet

 

[Tighthead]

Im wondering why he didnt spoke to the media yet? Most of the time, when they acquire a player. He has a conference with media soon after

Because at this point he is not scheduled to play one single game for the team.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

I gotta say that up until PK left, games were still always exciting. 2015-2015 was the last time the Habs played good hockey, imo. That was mostly on PK being PK though.

I don't know man... There's something about Koivu and Kovalev on this team that I haven't found back ever since. Probably partially because I grew older and grumpier.

 

[Hins77]

Because he is not a montreal canadiens yet

Yeah but he could say if he is happy or unhappy about the trade. And what he is thinking about to play in montreal?

 

[The Real Timo]

Im wondering why he didnt spoke to the media yet? Most of the time, when they acquire a player. He has a conference with media soon after

I thought it was not a done deal that he will sigh... my understanding is that he is not a Hab yet... Either way, no point talking to him because he is no parler francais.

 

[HBDay]

Yeah but he could say if he is happy or unhappy about the trade. And what he is thinking about to play in montreal?

I don't think it would be very typical in this situation to meet with teams press. He can't really say he wants to sign with us as it could effect his bargaining power, otherwise complicate things. At this point its better to stay quiet and let your agent and the habs management do the talking.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Initial take is not a big fan of this, wanted a premium acquisition on LD but I'll give management the benefit of the doubt. I can see some logic to the idea of giving better protection to the goalies after the investment they just made on them, really ensure they have D in front of them to bring down those high percentage chances. Edmundson has the experience of playing in tight systems like St Louis, so fine, pro scouting and management think it can work, who am I to second guess. Maybe also MB feels he can bargain Edmundson cheap before UFA market opens, given the uncertainty of the market this off-season.

So you can see the plan forming for the D & goaltending, looks ok enough. Sets the table for the real challenge, what happens up front...

The issue I have is that Montreal didn't actually allow that many high-danger chances. The issue was more defensive breakdowns. And Edmunson hasn't exactly been the most reliable of D-men in his career.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The issue I have is that Montreal didn't actually allow that many high-danger chances. The issue was more defensive breakdowns. And Edmunson hasn't exactly been the most reliable of D-men in his career.

The defensive breakdowns this past year had a lot to do with the forwards coughing up the puck before our blueline and our D was exhausted being pinned in our own end. Don't agree? Look at the difference in the playoffs when we exited our zone much better or at least did a better job getting it out of our end.

 

[Wats]

Maybe Mete out, Kulak can be #6/7 and good player to have for exposing to expansion draft.

 

[Burke the Legend]

The issue I have is that Montreal didn't actually allow that many high-danger chances. The issue was more defensive breakdowns. And Edmunson hasn't exactly been the most reliable of D-men in his career.

That may be, but I'm fairly certain I also did see a lot of brutal mistakes from Kulak in neutral zone, and then also Mete being overmatched in spots was a contributor to defensive problems as well.

If Edmundson is going to be a cheap solution to that hole on left D that's fine with me. I would have liked to see Montreal bring in a premium player instead but no doubt Bergevin looked around and likely the ask was too high on the kind of player we'd want (Brodin, Fowler, Leddy, etc.). The big move(s) we all anticipate will happen up front.

 

[Captain Mountain]

That may be, but I'm fairly certain I also did see a lot of brutal mistakes from Kulak in neutral zone, and then also Mete being overmatched in spots was a contributor to defensive problems as well.

If Edmundson is going to be a cheap solution to that hole on left D that's fine with me. I would have liked to see Montreal bring in a premium player instead but no doubt Bergevin looked around and likely the ask was too high on the kind of player we'd want (Brodin, Fowler, Leddy, etc.). The big move(s) we all anticipate will happen up front.

I think the issue is that Edmunson makes brutal mistakes as well. I also don't think he'll be that cheap.

 

[HBDay]

That may be, but I'm fairly certain I also did see a lot of brutal mistakes from Kulak in neutral zone, and then also Mete being overmatched in spots was a contributor to defensive problems as well.

If Edmundson is going to be a cheap solution to that hole on left D that's fine with me. I would have liked to see Montreal bring in a premium player instead but no doubt Bergevin looked around and likely the ask was too high on the kind of player we'd want (Brodin, Fowler, Leddy, etc.). The big move(s) we all anticipate will happen up front.

That's just it. Bergevin would have shopped, seen what's out there, and if this is the best fit for our club then alright. We can't fault him for not getting that premium LD if it wasn't reasonably there. Maybe it is there as well, it's still early. We aren't in that position yet that some teams benefit from where it's the trade caufield, sell the farm for the big player. That's an easy decision when you know you are in your winning window for three years. Bergevin can't risk dishing out the candy for those big players yet until we know who we are.

 

[sampollock]

time to pay money for scoring

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

That may be, but I'm fairly certain I also did see a lot of brutal mistakes from Kulak in neutral zone, and then also Mete being overmatched in spots was a contributor to defensive problems as well.

If Edmundson is going to be a cheap solution to that hole on left D that's fine with me. I would have liked to see Montreal bring in a premium player instead but no doubt Bergevin looked around and likely the ask was too high on the kind of player we'd want (Brodin, Fowler, Leddy, etc.). The big move(s) we all anticipate will happen up front.

His defensive stats show that these are overstared. I sincerily think it's pure bias because he's small. People notice it more. Thing is, GA/60 should be a prime example of what you see on the ice. If there are a lot of defensive breakdowns, there should be more goals allowed. Well it's the opposite here. Mete is one of our Ds that allows less goals in the past two seasons. Mete is around 2.00 GA/60 in the last two seasons, whether he's on or out of the top 4. This means people are overstating a defensive problem that did not happen as often.


At the other end of the spectrum, you have Chiarot who is close to 2.00 GA/60 OUTSIDE the top 4 but a 3.00 GA/60 WITH the top 4, yet people state his play as solid with Weber. Even at the end of the season, his GA/60 was bad. Now, at 3.00 GA/60, there are definitely defensive breakdowns, yet people don't notice it. Maybe we've been losing so much in the last few years, that they are now focused on moral victories of having someone big making big hits.

Offense didn't change much as Mete's GF/60 on the top 4 is 0.15 under Chiarot's on the top 4.

Neither are ideal for the top 4, but it's a complete farce when people think Mete is a defensive liability, or at the very least, average, when he's been one of our most consistent defenders in the last two seasons.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think the issue is that Edmunson makes brutal mistakes as well. I also don't think he'll be that cheap.

His last two contracts were one year deals at $3M and $3.1M. I think you can get him for 2 years at $3.25M in this flat cap off season. All comes down to AAV/term and if he even wants to be here.

 

[Runner77]

Edmundson as a pending UFA, is going to want to get paid, whether it’s the Habs or someone else. I’ll guess that he’ll come in at higher than Chiarot.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Edmundson as a pending UFA, is going to want to get paid, whether it’s the Habs or someone else. I’ll guess that he’ll come in at higher than Chiarot.

I see him getting 4 years for a couple hundred thounsands more than Chiarot.

4 years x 3.875M is my guess.

 

[Frank JT]

Video analysis of Joel Edmundson’s play in all three zones

 

[Le Tricolore]

That, right there, is the golden age of my Habs fandom. Every single game they played was an event I cherished, I actively looked forward to Boston/MTL games WEEKS in advance, I would be freaking passionated about this team. From 2005 to 2010 I would say. But especially between 2005 and 2008.

Same, but I was also in my early 20s, living with my parents, with no real responsibilities AND I was working at the Bell Centre getting to see most home games live.

Even if the team today was a perennial Cup contender, I doubt I'd get as excited for regular season games as I did back then.