One play from a newly-acquired Leaf last night indicates that he'll be really fun to watch in the playoffs
When the Maple Leafs took a swing on hulking defenseman Joel Edmundson at the trade deadline, the move was made with the intent of becoming tougher to play against in their own end.
Emdundson, a Stanley Cup champion during his time in St. Louis, also played his way to a Stanley Cup Final with Montreal just two years later in 2021, showing that he has the ability to help his team in a variety of ways that make him an effective playoff defenseman. Last night, we got a small taste of what he's going to bring to the Leafs come playoff time.
During the 2nd period of last night's meeting with the Flyers in Philadelphia, Edmundson found himself in a spot that he's not exactly known to put himself in, deep in the Flyers' zone, taking a whack at the goaltender to try to dislodge the puck. The Flyers took immediate offense to Edmundson's extra poke, immediately getting in the Leafs blueliner's face. Rather than shying away from the interaction, though, even though he was outnumbered 5-to-1, Edmundson engaged in a scrum with all 5 Flyers on the ice.
Tyler Bertuzzi was among the first Leafs in to help out his teammate, though at 6'5 and 221 lbs, Edmundson more than handled his own until his teammates came in and each took a body away. Still, this image says it all. Edmundson is a warrior.
| POLL | ||
MARS 20 | 676 ANSWERS One play from a newly-acquired Leaf last night indicates that he'll be really fun to watch in the playoffs With the additions of Reaves, Bertuzzi, Domi, Edmundson and others, are the Leafs tougher than the Panthers and Bruins? | ||
| Yes, they're tougher than both teams | 190 | 28.1 % |
| No, they're not tougher than either team | 380 | 56.2 % |
| Tougher than the Panthers, not the Bruins | 71 | 10.5 % |
| Tougher than the Bruins, not the Panthers | 35 | 5.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
