E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Joel Edmundson #49

By Eldon MacDonald

49. Joel Edmundson - “McWarrior” - D - Canada

Vitals: Size - 6’4”, 200 lb.; Shoots left; born 28-Jun-93 - Winnipeg, MB
Team: Moose Jaw, WHL
2010-11 Stats: 71-2-18-20-95-(+3) + WHL playoffs 6-0-0-0-2-(-3)

Rankings:
38 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (33rd North American skater)
43 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
47 - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts
47 - ISS per TSN
49 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
49 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
55 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
56 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
56 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
Draft result:
46 - St. Louis Blues

A lot of people haven’t heard of Joel Edmundson; a lot of people who have heard of Joel Edmundson are wondering how he could be rated by NHL Central Scouting as 38th best overall player. After all Joel is not a guy that is at all flashy, he doesn’t get a lot of buzz, there doesn’t seem to be many reporters dropping of his every word. So what were the scouts thinking? Well, I think they came to Moose Jaw to see the Warriors with a capital “W” and they came away seeing a warrior with a small “w”. As evidence, I will submit the following and then I will rest my case:
1. A lawyer will tell you the best evidence in any case is always video where the jury (in this case, you) gets to see the actions that led to the indictment , in this case, the indictment that Joel Edmundson is a small “w” warrior. Watch the YouTube video below and then tell me with a straight face that Joel Edmundson is not a warrior. You have to feel for poor Duncan Siemens - he may go in the first round in the draft but he sure didn’t look like he could go any more rounds with Joel Edmundson.
2. A law enforcement officer will tell you that an accused is more likely to be guilty of an act if he associates with a known offender who has committed similar crimes. In this case, Joel Edmundson’s mentor and defense partner (a true aider and abettor) is Duncan McIlrath, the most feared warrior of all.
3. A wildlife enforcement officer will tell you that if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck, chances are it is a duck. In this case, Joel Edmundson is currently listed at 6’4 200 lb. although a number of sites have him listed at 6’5. Chances are Joel will play at 6’5 - 215-220 and if that doesn’t look like the size of a warrior I don’t know what does.
4. A judge will tell you that he is more likely to convict someone if they were carrying an offensive weapon. Joel Edmundson’s slap shot was clocked at 98 miles an hour at the Warriors skills competition, the exact same rate that Alexander Ovechkin’s was clocked at during the NHL All-star Game Skills Competition. A shot like that can be very offensive weapon against a poor goalie.
5. In summary, Joel Edmundson is a warrior because he has the size, the skills and the desire to be a warrior. And it has been demonstrated beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt, that Joel Edmundson has gone into battle as a warrior under the tutelage of that most feared warrior of all, Duncan McIlrath and most importantly won the battle.

As for other hockey items of less importance, Joel Edmundson is no PMD (puck moving defenseman) but he does move pretty well for a big guy and does display the physicality expected of a big man. He is also pretty good defensively but is still learning the trade. However, if his defensive progression next year even approaches that of this year his coaches and the scouts are going to be pretty happy.

What is the price for a warrior-like stay-at-home defenseman these days? I would be very surprised if Joel’s name is not called before the second round is over, I have him at 49.