In a signing that part of me is very surprised at, long-time Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman Alexander Edler signed as a UFA with the Los Angeles Kings. For the first time in his 15-year NHL career, the community-minded Edler won’t be a fixture in Vancouver. Edler signed a one-year contract for $3.5 million. I honestly thought that Edler’s ties to the greater-Vancouver community would mean that he’d stay there for the duration of his NHL career.
Los Angeles Kings Sign Alex Edler https://t.co/KygcNTRsRE
— NHL on Scoreboard Page (@NHLonSP) July 28, 2021
Not so. In the end, Edler leaves Vancouver having played 925 NHL games with the Canucks. He didn’t quite hit the 100-goal mark in his career, ending with 99 goals. He also added 310 assists for 409 points in those games.
Although there was a hint that Edler might be moving, the writing wasn’t on the wall. Still when the Canucks’ traded for fellow-Swedish defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, it seemed there might not be room for both Ekman-Larsson and Edler in the same defensive corps. Just over a week ago, Edler’s agent Mark Stowe reported that Edler would become an unrestricted free agent on July 28. He did, and it didn’t take long for a response.
BREAKING
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) July 16, 2021
Alex Edler agent Mark Stowe : Alex will be hitting the free agent market.
Donnie and Dhali
CHEK TV
Edler’s value was obvious on the free agent market. Although his value might have dipped after a poor offensive season in 2020-21, where he only registered eight assists in 52 games, the 35-year-old defenseman is the very definition of steady. He eats up big minutes and will add to the Kings more veteran leadership.
As a resident of Vancouver Island and a watcher of the Canucks, I know that Edler’s play has been appreciated in the British Columbia area. I wish him luck with his new team.
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