Jackson Edward’s mean streak should mesh well with Bruins

Jackson Edward might hail from the Toronto area, but the bruising defenseman didn’t mince words at the 2022 NHL Draft when asked about his favorite NHL players. 

“I liked [Zdeno] Chara when I was really younger,” Edward said. “As I got to watch them, [Brad] Marchand became one of my favorite players.”

He may not have Chara’s 6-foot-9 frame, but Edward does have plenty of Marchand in his game — especially when it comes to his knack for stirring up chaos every time he hops over the boards. 

And with the dynamic defenseman set to make the jump up to the Providence Bruins this fall, Edward’s aggressive tendencies and willingness to dole out damage against the boards should give Boston some much-needed sandpaper within its pipeline of young talent. 

“He’s a real gamer,” Don Sweeney last week of Edward’s profile on the ice. “He’s got a bite to his game, plays both sides. I think he’s really going to take leaps and bounds in terms of getting into the pro game, maintaining structure while allowing that bite and natural competitiveness to bubble to the surface.”

Even though the 6-foot-2, 194-pound Edward may not be the next Nikita Zadorov in terms of his imposing stature, he made sure to use every ounce of his frame when squaring up skaters in the Ontario Hockey League. 

The 2022 seventh-round pick played three full seasons for the London Knights from 2021-24, accruing 253 penalty minutes over 178 games.

“Means a lot,” Edward said at Boston’s Development Camp of Sweeney’s comments. “I think I’ve been working on my game a lot. I’ve worked with the Hunters really closely. I’m proud of how [much] they’ve accomplished with me and I look forward to accomplishing more.”

The aforementioned Hunters are London head coach Dale Hunter, his son Dylan, and brother Mark, both of whom are also involved in the Knights’ operations. Dale Hunter stands as useful resource for a player like Edward, considering Hunter ranks second in NHL history with 3,565 penalty minutes. 

But Edward served as more than just a physical menace on a 2023-24 Knights team that made it all the way to the Memorial Cup, logging heavy minutes on the blue line and serving as a shutdown presence while chipping in with seven goals and 30 points over 59 games. 

Edward hopes to continue to tap into his offensive game moving forward against AHL competition, with his aggressiveness often leading to him activating off the blue line if a shooting lane is available.

But as the next waves of hockey talent continue to excel in terms of skating and skills (especially on the blue line), Edward’s violent style of play makes him a rare commodity in today’s game — one that the Bruins hope he’ll continue to display at the next level. 

Even if he projects as more of a no-frills, third-pairing option in due time, Edward’s snarl is makes him a player who could have an extended career in the pro ranks so long as he can remain disciplined and not put his team at a disadvantage while trying to deliver a bone-crunching hit.