Joel Edmundson was praised for his initial strong debut in the NHL. Along with Colton Parayko, both defensemen won jobs out of training camp and had impressive debuts, but Edmundson has cooled considerably compared to how he was playing in October. As a result, the rookie has been a healthy scratch for the Blues and will have to climb past Robert Bortuzzo to reclaim a regular role.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently spoke with Edmundson on this very topic and he cited a few things he needs to work on before he expects to be back in the mix.
“I think it’s just time to regroup, watch a couple games and see how much space I actually have out there. Just do some studying. I’ve just got to take it as a positive and make the best of it. … You never know when you’re going back in, but when that time comes, I’ll be ready.”
As an example, Edmundson pointed to how he’s handled exits out of the Blues’ zone.
“I think I was a little hesitant. Maybe I should have just made the first pass and not think too much about it.”
Edmundson’s awareness (or lack of awareness) of his surroundings definitely needs work. How often have you seen him rush a play when he has plenty of time to assess his options? On the flip side, how often have you seen him back off of a play when he has enough space to win a puck or time to close down on a opposing forward?
These are all things Edmundson can improve on with some coaching and additional practice. Thankfully, none of these habits are severe enough or bad enough to warrant any serious concern. With time, Edmundson should be able to sort things out and once again be a prominent feature as a top-6 defenseman.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
