Alexander Edler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexander Edler |
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Edler with the Vancouver Canucks in October 2013
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| Born | 21 April 1986 Östersund, Sweden |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Vancouver Canucks Los Angeles Kings |
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| National team |  Sweden |
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| NHL Draft | 91st overall, 2004 Vancouver Canucks |
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| Playing career | 2003–2023 | ||
Alexander Edler (born 21 April 1986) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player. He was a defenceman, which means he played a defensive role on the ice. Edler played for 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He spent most of his career with the Vancouver Canucks and also played for the Los Angeles Kings.
The Canucks picked him in the third round of the 2004 NHL entry draft. He was the 91st player chosen overall. Before joining the NHL, he played junior ice hockey in Sweden and then in North America. He played for Modo Hockey in Sweden and the Kelowna Rockets in Canada.
Edler started playing professionally in North America in the 2006–07 season. He played for the Manitoba Moose, a team linked to the Canucks. He also got to play a few games in the NHL that season. The next season, 2007–08, he became a full-time player for the Canucks. He was even chosen for the NHL All-Star Game in 2012.
He was the longest-serving player on the Canucks team for a while. This was after the famous Sedin brothers retired. Edler is known as one of the best defencemen in Canucks history. He holds the team records for most goals and points scored by a defenceman.
Internationally, Edler played for Sweden four times. He played in the 2006 World Junior Championships. He also played in the 2008 and 2013 IIHF World Championships. Sweden won a gold medal in 2013. He also won a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Edler was known for his calm style and powerful slapshot.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Early Years in Sweden and Junior Hockey (2001–2006)
Alexander Edler started playing hockey at a young age. He played for his hometown team, Jämtland, in Sweden. This was at the under-17 level in 2001 and 2002. In the 2003–04 season, he joined the professional team Jämtlands HF. He scored 3 goals and 9 points in 24 games in Sweden's third-tier league.
Edler was not well-known when it was time for the NHL entry draft. However, a scout for the Vancouver Canucks, Thomas Gradin, saw him play. Gradin was very impressed with Edler's skills. He told the Canucks management they should draft him. The Canucks traded a future draft pick to get the chance to pick Edler. They chose him 91st overall in the 2004 NHL entry draft.
After being drafted, Edler moved to play for Modo Hockey's junior team in Sweden. He played one season there, scoring 8 goals and 23 points. The Canucks then encouraged him to play junior hockey in North America. So, in 2005, he joined the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his only season with the Rockets, he scored 13 goals and 53 points in 62 games. He helped his team reach the playoffs.
Joining the Vancouver Canucks (2006–2021)
The Canucks signed Edler to his first professional contract in 2006. He started playing for their minor league team, the Manitoba Moose. But soon, he got called up to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on 4 November 2006. He scored his first NHL goal on 30 November against the Anaheim Ducks. He moved between the Moose and the Canucks several times that season.
In the 2007–08 season, Edler became a full-time player for the Canucks. He played 75 games and scored 8 goals and 20 points. He was even chosen to play in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game. This game features the best young players in the league.
In 2008, Edler signed a new four-year contract with the Canucks. He continued to improve his game. In the 2008–09 season, he had a career-high 37 points, including 10 goals. He often played with veteran defenceman Mattias Öhlund, who helped him a lot.
The 2010–11 was a big year for the Canucks. Edler was playing very well until he got a back injury. He had surgery and missed over two months. He returned just before the playoffs. The Canucks had a great season and reached the Stanley Cup Finals. They lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins. Edler played through the playoffs with two broken fingers. He was a key player, scoring 11 points in 25 playoff games.
In the 2011–12 season, Edler took on an even bigger role. He played all 82 games for the first time in his career. He set new personal bests with 11 goals, 38 assists, and 49 points. He was also selected for his first NHL All-Star Game. The Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy again for being the best team in the regular season.
Edler signed a new six-year contract with the Canucks in 2013. He continued to be a top defenceman for the team. On 2 March 2018, he broke Mattias Öhlund's record for most points by a Canucks defenceman. Later that year, on 22 December 2018, he also passed Öhlund for most games played by a Canucks defenceman. On 28 March 2019, he set another record, scoring his 94th career goal. This made him the Canucks' all-time leading goal-scoring defenceman.
In 2019, Edler signed another two-year contract with Vancouver. On 16 January 2020, he broke Dennis Kearns' record for most assists by a Canucks defenceman. By 2020, Edler was the last player remaining from the 2010–11 Canucks team that played in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Time with the Los Angeles Kings (2021–2023)
After 15 seasons with the Canucks, Edler left the team. On 28 July 2021, he signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He scored his 100th career NHL goal on 2 December 2021. This was also his first goal as a King. He played his 1,000th NHL game on 31 December 2022. This is a huge milestone for any hockey player.
Retirement
On 17 September 2024, the Canucks announced that Edler would sign a one-day contract. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the Vancouver Canucks. His retirement ceremony was planned for 11 October 2024.
International Play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Sweden |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| Winter Olympics | ||
| Silver | 2014 Sochi | |
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2017 Germany/France | |
| Gold | 2013 Sweden/Finland | |
Edler first played for Sweden's junior team in 2006. This was at the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He helped Sweden finish in fifth place. Two years later, he joined Sweden's men's team. He played in the 2008 IIHF World Championships. He scored his first international goal in a big win against France. Sweden finished fourth in that tournament.
Edler also played in the 2013 IIHF World Championships. Sweden won the gold medal that year. He was suspended for the last two games due to a hit on an opponent. However, he still received a gold medal. The IIHF extended his suspension. This meant he missed Sweden's first two games at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He joined the team later and helped Sweden win a silver medal. In 2017, he won another gold medal at the World Championships.
Playing Style
Alexander Edler was known as an offensive defenceman. This means he was good at both defending and helping to score goals. One of his best offensive skills was his powerful slapshot. He often won the "hardest shot" competition at Canucks team events.
He was also known for being calm and confident with the puck. This allowed him to make good passes from his own end of the ice. People in the Canucks organization said this showed his calm personality off the ice too.
Early in his career, Edler was not known for being very physical. But over time, he became stronger and more willing to hit opposing players. His teammates noticed this change. One teammate, Kevin Bieksa, said Edler was like a "Bambi" when he started. But he learned how big and strong he was and could really hurt opponents with his hits.
Personal Life
Alexander Edler was born in Östersund, Sweden. He has a brother, Jens, and a sister, Katarina. He started playing hockey when he was six years old. Edler has a permanent home in Vancouver, Canada. This is where he met his wife, Aman, and where their two daughters, Emme and River, were born.
Career Statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | Jämtland | TVp | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Jämtland | TVp | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Jämtlands HF | SWE.2 U20 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Jämtlands HF | SWE.3 | 24 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Modo Hockey | J20 | 33 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 62 | 13 | 40 | 53 | 44 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 47 | 5 | 21 | 26 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 22 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 75 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 80 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 54 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 2009–10 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 76 | 5 | 37 | 42 | 40 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | ||
| 2010–11 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 51 | 8 | 25 | 33 | 24 | 25 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 8 | ||
| 2011–12 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 82 | 11 | 38 | 49 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2012–13 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 45 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 63 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 74 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 54 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 52 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 68 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 70 | 6 | 28 | 34 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 56 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 59 | 5 | 28 | 33 | 62 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 | ||
| 2020–21 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 52 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 41 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | ||
| 2022–23 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 64 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| NHL totals | 1,030 | 104 | 335 | 439 | 733 | 93 | 8 | 32 | 40 | 78 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Sweden | WJC | 5th | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2008 | Sweden | WC | 4th | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | |
| 2013 | Sweden | WC |  |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25 | |
| 2014 | Sweden | OG |  |
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Sweden | WC | |
10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||
| Senior totals | 24 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 41 | ||||
Awards and Honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | ||
| YoungStars Game | 2008 | |
| NHL All-Star Game | 2012 | |
| Vancouver Canucks | ||
| Babe Pratt Trophy | 2012, 2018, 2019 | |
| Daniel & Henrik Sedin Award | 2020 | |
Images for kids
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Edler with the Los Angeles Kings in October 2022
