With the Los Angeles Kings adding forward Phillip Danault on the first day of free agency, a move that was somewhat overshadowed was the signing of defenseman Alex Edler.
Edler’s deal is for a single year and carries a $3.5 million cap hit. He’s 35 years old and has 15 years of NHL experience, which all came with the Vancouver Canucks.
Edler had eight assists in 52 games this past season, which his lowest points per game average since he became a full-time NHLer well over a decade ago. That said, he still averaged nearly 21 minutes per game and led the entire league in time on ice while shorthanded, at nearly 3:30 per game.
Another key is that he was facing the highest quality of competition of any defender on the Canucks, according to Hockey Abstract. This is important for the Kings, who had a very inexperienced left side and ended up relying on rookie Mikey Anderson to play a huge role right away. With Edler joining the defense group though, the Kings should be able to do a better job sheltering Anderson and others, allowing for a better development path.
In terms of the contract, I don’t think there’s much to complain about. The Kings had the cap space to make a move like this and still have a bit of money left over as well. Plus, there's no risk in just a one-year deal, as Edler could be extended for another year if things work out but isn’t locked in long-term if he doesn't meet expectations.
While Edler is just a temporary solution for the Kings, bringing him in made sense. He should be able to shelter younger defensemen and allow them more time to develop against easier matchups, but won’t have a long-term impact on their roles within the defense group.
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