'All The Scrums And Fights, That Excites Me': Joel Edmundson Eager to Play For Maple Leafs After Trade

On Thursday, the 6-foot-5 defenseman was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the New York Islanders' third-round pick in 2024 and the Chicago Blackhawks' fifth-round pick in 2025. The Capitals also agreed to retain 50 percent of Edmundson's $1.75 million salary cap hit. 

The 30-year-old was unable to arrive at TD Garden in time for the Leafs' 4-1 loss against the Boston Bruins later that night, but he watched from up in the press box as an intense game unfolded in front of him.

"Sitting up there was tough, I just wanted to get out there," he said. "All the scrums and fights. That excites me. That’s playoff hockey and I think I play my best hockey during playoffs. 

"I definitely wanted to be out there."

 Edmundson promises to bring a heavy game to the Leafs D-group. A stay-at-home left-handed defenseman who hasn't played on the right side in many years but is open to the idea if asked.

He has fond memories of playing for the Montreal Canadiens in 2021 when his club upset the Leafs in the opening round of the playoffs.

"It’s an elite core. They’ve been together for several years now and every year they just keep getting better and better," Edmundson said. "It’s a fun series but also a tough one back then and I’m glad to be on this side now and looking forward to it.

The Leafs played the Bruins twice in the last week and both games had an intense playoff vibe with a pair of fights that saw both Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi get into some scraps with Charlie McAvoy and Parker Witherspoon, respectively. But Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe is looking forward to what Edmundson will bring on defense.

"I thought we got pushed around on the back end to start early in the game but having a guy like him will help us there," Keefe said. "We’ll determine over the remaining games what the right fit is and what the right partner is but obviously we’ll have a plan for him starting Saturday."

Wherever he plays, it's certainly a different type of defenseman than the Leafs had in recent years.

"My job is to make the other forwards miserable," Edmundson said. "I like to play hard with a heavy stick in front of the net and in the corners and just play tough. 

"That’s what I’m going to bring."