Canucks: Pride, presence prove Alex Edler landed in the right place in Los Angeles

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Surprise. Shock. Survival. Renaissance.

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This is how Alex Edler might categorize his last twelve months.

The former Vancouver Canucks defender, the longest-serving Blue player in franchise history with 1,007 regular-season and playoff games and 447 points (107-340) in a 15-year career, makes his first appearance in the Rogers Arena as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. on Monday.

A video tribute will be appropriate for hitting the high notes because what led to Edler’s exit from free agency last summer still lingers as a low point for those who believe he should have been withheld.

He accepted a one-year, $ 3.5 million deal from the Kings that includes a no-move clause to be a stabilizing presence in an evolving back-end.

Some exit factors here were obvious:

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• A compact and devastated season by COVID-19, in which the Canucks suffered a virus outbreak and finished last in the North Division before empty arenas, was enough to drain any player’s physical and mental energy. The fun factor was gone for Edler.

• The departure of close friends Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev, along with Tyler Toffoli, in free agency, following a surprising 2020 bubble run into Game 7 of the Western Conference second round, really hurt. The room would be noticeably different. So would the vibe.

• His perceived value to the Canucks would mean accepting fewer minutes in a reduced role at 35, significantly lower than the expiring $ 6 million cap. He was third among the club’s blueliners with an average ice time of 20:54 despite being knocked out of the power game while recording the most penalty minutes.

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• However, he also finished third overall in penalty minutes by an NHL defender at 58. Was that aggressiveness an inability to win board battles or box properly? He was fourth overall in blocked shots.

NEXT GAME

Monday

LA Kings vs. Vancouver Canucks

7 pm, Rogers Arena. TV: Sportsnet Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet 650.

Regardless, Edler was willing to do what he has always done – learn from the past and prepare for the future – in a city he called home and raised his children. He also wanted to pay for it.

Edler was ready to take on a bigger role in the room when Henrik and Daniel Sedin retired after the 2017-18 season because they shared a special bond with their compatriots that extends to growing up in Sweden.

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Edler’s brother is the same age as the twins and also played hockey. Edler’s father was an assistant coach and hanging out on the court meant getting an early look at the Sedins at tournaments.

That pulls on the heart strings, but it’s a slippery slope to extend the older players’ contract. Either they have something left in the tank, they are burning, or they are staying in the game for the wrong reasons.

Edler believed he fell into the first category and made it known at the end of last season.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play my entire career here and I’ve always said that I like it here,” he said. “I still love the game, I still feel like I can play and I definitely want to keep playing. He knew going into this senior year he probably wouldn’t know what was going on until after the season. I’m fine with that.

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“In previous years, I have always had a contract before last year, but we will see what happens here.”

It didn’t take long for the winds of change to begin to blow.

Edler had a chat with the Canucks before free agency and had a good idea what his contract offer would be. He then informed management that he was willing to see what possibilities he had of extending his career elsewhere because his pride was also at stake.

Whether it was a concrete plan or a ploy to see if the Canucks could improve their offering, the landscape changed dramatically when Oliver Ekman-Larsson was acquired in a multiplayer trade with Arizona.

Suddenly, the left side was placed in the first two pairings with Ekman-Larsson and Quinn Hughes. Maybe Olli Juolevi would finally arrive as a bona fide NHL defender in a third pair (he was eventually traded) or maybe rookie Jack Rathbone could snag that spot, is he in the AHL? Now, it’s Kyle Burroughs on the left side in the third pair.

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The fast forward and rear end that has Tyler Myers, Luke Schenn, Tucker Poolman and Travis Harmonic on the right side is plagued by a collective inability to smoothly transition out of their own zone, get caught up in the offensive zone in pinches. and coughing too many. the stranger hurries.

The cost certainty of the 30-year-old Ekman-Larsson, who has six more seasons with a salary cap of $ 8.25, of which the Coyotes withheld the salary to reduce it to $ 7.26 million, means the Canucks have their men locked up. best pairs.

However, Edler has a production advantage.

He had 10 points (1-9) in 22 games leading up to Sunday’s game at Edmonton and was first in blocked shots and second in hits for the Kings at 19:10 average time on ice in a second matchup with Matt Roy.

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By comparison, Ekman-Larsson has five points (2-3) in 25 games with a 22:27 average ice time that includes the power play and penalty.

So how should Edler be remembered and greeted Monday night at Rogers Arena?

Like a guy who gave it his all, warts and all, through good and bad games. And that’s all you could ask someone for anytime, anywhere.

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