NHL Rumors: Canadiens' Defenceman Wants To Remain In Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens are at a crossroads with defenceman Joel Edmundson and are deciding whether they are going to trade him or keep him around. They have been leaning towards keeping him, but also know he would fetch a first round pick for the team in a deep 2023 draft.

Edmundson doesn't have a full no-trade clause, but if the Canadiens do decide to trade him, he has some say in where he goes. The defenceman has a 10-team no-trade clause, but it's likely he would only be headed to a playoff-bound team. According to Marc Antoine Godin, Edmundson has expressed the desire to remain in Montreal rather than be traded.

He has one more year left on his contract with a cap hit of $3.5 million AAV. Edmundson can play both sides of the ice and is used heavily on the penalty kill. He will play physically and block shots as the 29-year-old is solely focused on defence.

The Canadiens aren't ready to compete just yet. They will be trying to trade quite a few players. But if they get an offer they can't resist for Edmundson, they should take it with a number of rookie defencemen NHL-ready.