Tonight, the Vancouver Canucks will honour their longest-tenured defenceman in franchise history, Alex Edler. The club signed Edler to a one-day contract so he could retire as a member of the team that drafted him in 2004.
During his time with the Canucks, Edler set franchise records in almost every stat: games played, goals, assists, points, powerplay points, shots on goal, hits and blocked shots by a defenceman. So it only seems fitting that he retire as a Vancouver Canuck.
“I’m very honoured to get this opportunity from the organization to retire as a Canuck,” Edler said on the morning of his retirement day. “This club, organization has meant so much to me. I’ve spent so many years in this city, so I’m very honoured to be here. I feel very special to have this day.”
We thought, what better way to honour him than to re-live and highlight his accolades during his remarkable 15-year career as a member of the Canucks.
Alex Edler
Edler, or as his teammates nicknamed him, “The Eagle,” first suited up in a Cnaucks uniform on November 4, 2006, against the Colorado Avalanche. Edler logged 13:16 minutes of ice time and was held off the scoresheet. But that wouldn’t last long, as in his second National Hockey League game, he registered his first NHL point, an assist on a Kevin Bieksa goal.
It wasn’t until his seventh game against the Anaheim Ducks that Edler finally lit the lamp with his powerful slap shot from the point.
He went on to finish his rookie campaign with the lone goal and two assists in 20 games.
Throughout the following four seasons, Edler was a nice one-two punch of offence from the back end with Christian Ehroff. Edler rattled off his best stretch in a Canucks sweater, registering 31 goals and 132 points in 282 games.
However, the 6’4″ defenceman wasn’t all offence. Edler was a shot-blocking machine who wasn’t afraid to throw his 210-lb frame around. He would throw thunderous hits on the opponent’s top players as he did here against the Canucks’ biggest rivals, Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks.
This rivalry spanned three playoff runs. Chicago got the better of Vancouver, defeating the Canucks in back-to-back years (2008-09 and 2009-10) in the Conference semi-finals 4-2. That was, of course, until Alex Burrows slayed the dragon in overtime in the opening series of their memorable 2011 Stanley Cup run. Edler finished that postseason with two goals and 11 points in 25 games.
After a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup final, Edler was hungry to replicate the previous years’ success. Ehroff was traded to the New York Islanders that offseason, fully handing the keys to the Canucks’ number one defenceman role, and he did not let that opportunity slip.
Edler recorded a career-high 11-goal, 49-point campaign, including this beautiful end-to-end rush against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
His efforts this season did not go unnoticed around the league, earning him his first and only All-Star selection in the 2012 All-Star game. He joined teammates and fellow countrymen Daniel and Henrik Sedin, as well as Cody Hodgson, who was selected to the Rookie Squad.
This was the only season of Edler’s career where he played all 82 games. At year’s end, Edler finished sixth in league scoring among defencemen, trailing only Erik Karlsson, Dustin Byfuglien, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara and Alex Pietrangelo. Edler also received four fifth-place votes for the James Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman.
The following few seasons were rough for Edler and the Canucks. Edler battled injuries, never playing more than 74 games in a season, but still produced offensively. However, his offensive efforts were not enough to help the Canucks with postseason success, as the club made the playoffs just twice – losing in the first round both times – over a seven-year span.
As the group that went on the 2011 Stanley Cup run started moving on or retiring, it was time for his closest teammates, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, to hang up the skates. But of course, the Sedinery couldn’t end without one final magical goal in front of Canucks fans.
And it’s only fitting that Edler was on the ice, screening the goal to cap off the final goal of their career.
At this point in his career, it was only a matter of time until Edler surpassed Mattias Öhlund for the franchise record in points by a defenceman. Edler went on an impressive run to catch that feat, as he registered eight points in a six-game span to pass his fellow countrymen and edge himself in Canucks blueline history. It was on this goal that he set the record.
Edler played another two seasons in Vancouver, scoring five goals and 41 points in 111 games. He then moved on to play with division rivals the Los Angeles Kings, where he added five goals and 30 goals to his career tally.
We will leave you with a few quotes from Edler as he spoke with the media this morning before his big retirement night in Rogers Arena.
Now residing in Los Angeles, Edler came to Vancouver for a playoff game last season, and he recalled how energetic the atmosphere was and commented on the current Canucks and how they’re doing today.
“I kind of forgot how loud this building can be. It was almost emotional and I heard the crowd. I’m sure it will be the same tonight.”
“I played with some of the younger guys that are here right now and it’s great to see them out on the ice and how good they are, what impact they’re making. This team is exciting to watch.”
Vancouver was a big part of Edler’s life. Being drafted in 2004, making his Canucks debut in 2006, and being a mainstay in the lineup until his departure in 2021. Safe to say, there were some monumental on-ice and life milestones he went through here. Edler showed his appreciation to the organization that discovered him.
“They’re the ones that found me, drafted me and made my dreams come true. I lived their for 15 years, had two kids, met my wife, a lot happened off the ice. Being part of a great organization like that, being part of so many good teams, playing with so many good players, had great coaches, great staff, great management. I’m very thankful and very happy that I ended up there.”
With him officially retiring, what’s next for Edler? His old teammates, Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Manny Malholtra, are all working somewhere within the Canucks’ organization. Whether in Vancouver or elsewhere, it seems Edler wants to continue working in hockey.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. What’s next? What do I want to do? Being able to work with some of those guys would be great. We’ll see when I’m ready to try something and when it is? I’m not sure yet. I see myself doing something in hockey, for sure. That’s where my knowledge is at.”
If you really want to further re-live Edler’s career, Here is a video of all 99 goals as a member of the Canucks.
We believe we speak for most Canucks fans by wishing Edler a happy retirement and good luck to him in his future endeavours, hopefully, in one way or another, in a career with hockey.