Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Capitals defenceman Joel Edmundson

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenceman Joel Edmundson from the Washington Capitals for a pair of draft picks Thursday.

The deal announced just over 24 hours before the NHL trade deadline adds size, snarl and experience to a blue line that was also bolstered by the reacquisition of Ilya Lyubushkin last week.

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Toronto sent a third-round pick in June along with a fifth-round selection in 2025 to the Capitals, who will retain 50 per cent of Edmundson's remaining salary.

The Montreal Canadiens, who traded the blueliner to Washington in July, previously retained 50 per cent of his wage bill, which leaves Toronto on the hook for just US$875,000 against its salary cap.

The 30-year-old pending unrestricted free agent has one goal and six assists in 44 games this season.

The six-foot-five, 221-pound Edmundson has put up 29 goals, 110 points and 457 penalty minutes in 521 career games with St. Louis, Carolina, Montreal and Washington.

The Brandon, Man., product has added five goals and 21 points in 75 playoff games.

Edmundson won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 and made the final with Montreal in 2021.

The Leafs, who currently sit third in the Atlantic Division, made another deal Thursday when they acquired unsigned six-foot-seven defenceman Cade Webber from the Carolina Hurricanes for a sixth-round pick in 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2024.