The Kings had a strong defense last season and are looking to replicate or even surpass it this year. For this defense to remain amongst the best in the league will be determined by the play of Joel Edmundson.
Standing at 6’5 and 221 pounds, Edmundson is the biggest and heaviest defenseman on the Kings roster. He brings in a level of physicality that nobody else on the team can match.
Last season, Edmundson was the most effective hitter as he recorded 97 hits with only 78 hits taken. As he was the only player in Los Angeles to dish out more hits than he received.
Physicality from Edmundson was so important that he became the most reliable player for penalty kills. Despite recording the fourth total most minutes from Kings defensemen, Edmundson played the most minutes on the penalty kills.
The individual success Edmundson brought with hits and penalty kills was more than just beneficial to him. Edmundson’s skills meshed well with his main defensive pairing for Los Angeles.
Brandt Clarke was alongside Edmundson on the second line, which accumulated for 1028:45 minutes. Despite being the second line, this was the most minutes played by any unit for the Kings last year.
From a puck possession standpoint, Edmundson and Clarke were the most potent as they recorded a 52.02% CF. While Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty recorded a 49.9% CF on the first line. Even lower than the first two pairings, Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci recorded a 47.93% on the third line.
To compliment the ability to eliminate the opponents' scoring chances, Edmundson and Clarke were the pairing that helped the offense the most. When Edmundson and Clarke were on the ice, their unit scored 53 goals while they only gave up 38 goals.
In comparison, both the first and third line defensive units allowed more goals than they scored. When Anderson and Doughty were on the ice, their unit scored 42 goals and allowed 49 goals. Dumoulin and Ceci ‘s unit scored 25 goals and allowed 39 goals when they were on the ice.
Whether it’s offense or defense, Edmundson and Clarke were the most productive defensive pair. For these results to be replicated in 2027, Edmundson needs to be a big part of the defense.
Edmundson is vital for the Kings defense when it comes to playing in the most important defensive pairing. While Clarke is the most offensively-driven defenseman for the Kings, Edmundson balances well with him.
Outside of playing with Clarke, Edmundson is the most important defenseman for hits and penalty kill. These are two big areas that new coach Peter Laviolette will utilize in his up-tempo, forecheck-heavy system.
Los Angeles is prime to continue their defensive identity and possibly even take the next step into a top five unit. In order for the Kings defense to thrive, Edmundson will be the deciding contributor that lifts this team.
