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Aware of his role, Joel Edmundson is ready to “do the dirty work” for the Kings

Posted on by angelo

Joel Edmundson understands his place on the ice.

“I do the dirty work,” he said emphatically.

Edmundson isn’t going to run from coast to coast. He’s not going to impress you with his offensive ability or his point total. He’s not going to try to. He prides himself on playing defense. Killing penalties. Making it difficult for opponents to get in front of the net and making them pay for it.

It is in these areas that he tries to make his contribution in his game.

Just ask Warren Foegele.

They were teammates in Carolina during the 2019-20 season and Foegele is looking forward to being teammates again with the Kings.

“Joel, he’s a beast, he’s definitely a guy you don’t want to play against,” Foegele said. “I think it goes to my point that LA is a tough team to play against and I think he fits that mold perfectly. It’s tough to get in front of the net and it’s even tougher to get in front of the net when you have Eddy standing there checking you and being tough to play against. I’m really excited to have him on our team.”

Edmundson also prides himself on nurturing a young defensive partner and helping him feel comfortable and play his game. He understands that will be part of his job with the Kings this season, with a pair of talented but inexperienced defensemen integrating into NHL regulars.

With the Kings, Edmundson will likely be paired with Jordan Spence or Brandt Clarke, but Jim Hiller ultimately decides where to position his defensemen.

Speaking with Rob Blake about the decision to sign Edmundson, he stressed that he wanted an experienced veteran to partner Clarke and Spence this season. He wanted those players to be “strong and heavy” on the left side and Edmundson fits that profile, with Vladislav Gavrikov likely to be paired with one of those young defenders as well.

“I think that’s what I’ve done in Montreal the last few years,” Edmundson said of helping the younger guys. “I think I’m a good kid for the kids, I joke around with them, I keep it light and because I’m so defensive, it allows them to play their offensive game and jump in and know that I’m there to hold down the fort. I like the way the defensive core looks.”

Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images

Edmundson said he hasn’t had in-depth discussions about specific partners or his role yet, but it’s pretty clear he’ll be one of the two younger players. He’ll also be a penalty killer, as he’s been throughout his career with different teams. With Toronto in the 2024 playoffs, Edmundson led the Maple Leafs in penalty-killing minutes.

When Edmundson debuted as a young player with the St. Louis organization, he pointed to Kevin Shattenkirk as someone who brought that veteran presence to him, albeit in a different way. Edmundson was the younger player, but in a defenseman role, though he complemented Shattenkirk well. He also pointed to Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo, as defensemen in St. Louis, helping him become a leader and mentor. Not a bad trio of defensemen to look up to.

“I’ve had some great guys to look up to and I’ve carried that attitude throughout my career,” Edmundson said. “I feel like that’s been my role in Montreal the last few years. I was there for these young players and as the years go by, they take over. I’m looking forward to being that leader, in that sense.”

This leadership is particularly valuable in the playoffs.

Edmundson has been to the Stanley Cup Final twice in the last six years, winning in 2019 with St. Louis and finishing second in 2021 with Montreal. When the playoffs start and things get out of hand, having players who have been there before provides a calming influence on the entire group. This summer, the Kings added three of those players to their roster, Edmundson, Kuemper and Foegele, all of whom have been to the Final in the last four seasons.

“These playoff games can be very stressful and very nerve-wracking, and I think the younger guys can just watch us and see how calm we are,” Edmundson said. “This season when I was in Toronto, we played Boston in Game 7 and I thought I’d never been that calm in a situation like that, so that experience really helps. I think when the younger guys can watch you and see that you’re always joking around, having a good time, keeping it light in the serious moments, that’s when everybody raises their game and plays their best, when they’re relaxed.”

Edmundson believes he’s joining a strong leadership group in Los Angeles, but he’s not just counting on those guys. He wants to be a part of it himself and add his own leadership abilities to the mix. He wore an “A” in Montreal as an alternate captain and while he probably won’t do that with the Kings, you don’t have to wear a letter to lead.

The Kings are looking to add several young players to their rotation this season, so having a veteran team around them is important. Edmundson wants to be part of that.

“Everybody in the league knows that the leadership group is top-notch, one of the best, so I’m excited to bring my leadership and join this team,” he said. “I think the pieces (the Kings) brought in this offseason to make the team a little bit stronger, I think that goes a long way, especially in these last few months and in the playoffs.”

Perhaps it was that calming nature, that “you’ve seen it before” mentality, that tenacity that made him an attractive option for the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline. I suppose it also explains why Edmundson had his options this summer as an unrestricted free agent.

Darren Dreger had Boston, Utah and St. Louis all vying for his signature and there was also competition at the NHL trade deadline last March when Edmundson went to Toronto for two draft picks. That likely drove up the price a bit, whether it was in terms of length, average annual value or both.

He’s the kind of player that hockey teams seem to covet, with the Kings ultimately being his choice on July 1.

Edmundson pointed to several factors that went into his decision to sign with Los Angeles, despite interest elsewhere that led other teams to bring him in. He previously played with Phillip Danault and Darcy Kuemper and said he texted Danault about the area and the organization. He added that many of the players he played with over the years have said good things about playing in Los Angeles and the organization as a whole.

Ultimately, Edmundson landed with the Kings and will be part of their revamped approach for next season. For a Jordan Spence or a Brandt Clarke, they have an experienced partner to play with and hopefully learn from. If it works out as planned, those players should be more comfortable in their style of hockey, more comfortable making mistakes, and hopefully more productive offensively because of those things.

Edmundson isn’t the strong suit in this equation, but the Kings are hoping he can be the steak.