Steady Edler indispensable to defence
Canucks GM Benning says he expects to get a deal done with veteran defenceman
Alex Edler doesn’t think along these lines, but if he wanted to make a case for a lucrative contract extension, he need only point to his last two games on the Vancouver Canucks’ blue-line.
Thursday night against Edmonton, Edler logged 28:46 of ice time, scored a goal, recorded five shots on net, four hits and four blocked shots. True, he went minus-one while matched up against Connor McDavid, but he had a shot from the point deflect off the crossbar late in the third period of the Canucks’ 3-2 loss.
That was also the lesser of his two games on back-to-back nights. Wednesday night against the Leafs, Edler played 27:06, scored the game-winner in overtime, had six shots on net with four hits while going plus-two.
With injuries to Chris Tanev and Ben Hutton, the Canucks’ defence consists of Edler, the estimable Troy Stecher; three players who have spent time in the minors this season — Alex Biega, Ashton Sautner and Luke Schenn — and Derrick Pouliot, who’s been a healthy scratch throughout this year.
The Canucks’ defence isn’t great as things stand, but imagine what it would be without Edler.
Travis Green, for one, would rather not.
“I’ve talked to Eddy a lot,” said the Canucks’ head coach. “I’m the coach, not the GM and I understand the dynamics. Eddy knows what we think about him. It’s obvious in how much we play him and how we treat him as one of our main leaders. I like having him on our team. You hope it works out.”
Since word broke of negotiations between Edler and the Canucks more than a month ago, the presumption has been the 32-year-old defenceman would re-up with the only team he’s played for in a 13-season NHL career. Edler is fiercely loyal to the organization. Over the years, he’s rejected all requests to waive his no-trade clause.
A new deal seems like an inevitability and, Friday morning, Canucks GM Jim Benning said: “I think it will get done.”
But Edler can also become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and that opens up a world of uncertainty for the Canucks. On a team trying to renovate its defensive corps, Edler has demonstrated he’s indispensable.
But until he signs, there will be questions.
Now, there are counter arguments for any extension longer than a two-year term and that’s likely the holdup with a new deal. Edler has missed 25 games this season with an assortment of injuries. Since 2012-13, he’s missed 37, 19, eight, 30, 14 and 12 games in each succeeding season.
The silent Swede also turns 33 in April, which is viewed as a red flag in a lot of circles.
But this is also interesting. A review of the NHL’s top defencemen reveals a list that includes Brent Burns, Mark Giordano, Kris Letang, Keith Yandle, Ryan Suter, Duncan Keith and Dustin Byfuglien, who are all 32 and older.
Of the league’s top 20 scorers among forwards, Alex Ovechkin and Blake Wheeler are the only players 32 or over.
Good defencemen, it seems, age differently than good forwards and when he’s healthy, Edler is still a good defenceman.
“I thought he was a horse again tonight,” Green said after the loss to the Oilers. “He had another strong game. It’s not easy, logging those minutes and doing it in back-to-backs.”
Edler, for his part, isn’t exactly an open book at the best of times and he doesn’t reveal much when he’s asked about the state of negotiations. But when asked if he remains invested in the Canucks’ future, he answered simply: “Of course.”
There’s no reason this deal will not get done. Then again, it had better get done.