Both Edler and Travis Hamonic left Wednesday's game vs. Montreal and did not return. During his postgame press availability, head coach Travis Green did not have an update on either defenseman. If both aren't available for Thursday's game, look for Olli Juolevi and Jordie Benn to be in the lineup.
The Hurricanes played in Nashville on Monday and had just one player n the COVID-19 protocol list and that was Jordan Staal. On Tuesday, their game with the Predators was cancelled due to four more players being added to that list, Foegele among them. The four players with confirmed positive tests must stay behind in Nashville and observe a 10-day isolation period in the team hotel.
Kuemper allowed three goals on 35 shots in the Coyotes shootout loss to the Sharks on opening night. Antti Raanta started Saturday’s game so Kuemper will be fresh to start a week where they will play the Golden Knights four times in seven days. Kuemper was 1-0-1 while stopping 74 of 76 shots (.974 SV%) in two games vs. Vegas last year.
Studnicka played 11:40 TOI in the season opener but was a healthy scratch on Saturday. With Ondrej Kase getting hurt on Saturday, Studnicka will draw into the Bruins lineup on Monday and is expected to skate on the second line with David Krejci and Nick Ritchie.
Studnicka started the season on the first line but will already get scratched in favour of Anders Bjork. Craig Smith will make his Bruins debut and replace him in the lineup but Bjork will be on the top pair with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.
Kuemper was 16-11-2 with a 2.22 GAA and .928 SV% in 29 games in 2020. Kuemper has been terrific over the last two seasons, posting a 2.29 GAA and .926 SV% in 84 starts. Kuemper is one of the best goalies in the league but has little help in front of him, which will limit his upside in 2021. In his only start vs. the Sharks a season ago, Kuemper stopped 26 of 28 shots in a winning effort.
Edmundson was acquired from the Hurricanes last week and quickly got a deal done with the Canadiens. This contract includes a 10-team no trade clause and will keep Edmundson in Montreal through the 2024 campaign. The 27-year-old is coming off of a career-high 20 points (7G / 13A) in 68 games.
Edmundson is a pending unrestricted free agent that just wasn't a part of the future of the Hurricanes blueline. In Montreal however, Edmundson will help bolster a left-side that features Ben Chiarot (2 years left), Brett Kulak (2 years), Victor Mete (RFA) and the up-and-coming Alexander Romanov (2 years). It will be interesting to see if Montreal has plans to move any of them to loosen up the logjam. Edmundson doesn't provide a lot offensively but led the Hurricanes' blueline in hits (118) and was tied for second in blocked shots (91) in 2020.
