Ethan Edwards

March 2025 – The New Jersey Devils signed Edwards to a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2025-26 season. He will sign an American Hockey League (AHL) Standard Player Contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign and report to the Utica Comets. Mark Henry

February 2025 – Edwards has taken on a much more significant role with the University of Michigan this season, logging well over 24 minutes a night as an all-situations number-one defenseman. His production has matched his uptick in ice time, already having produced career-highs in goals (5), assists (14), and total points (19). He’s shown his abilities to be reliable, relying on his stick-checking skills more than his physicality to prevent the opposition from generating chances. I am not sure if there is NHL time in Edwards’ future — if there is, it will be as a seventh defenseman — but he should be making the jump to the AHL next season, considering he is in his final year in the NCAA. JP Gambatese

July 2024 – Undoubtedly, Edwards can play, being a standout defenseman on a strong Michigan Wolverines squad. Still, Edwards seems to be lacking in his end. It’s noticeable that he’s a more undersized, less physical defenseman. His offense doesn’t look good enough to carry him. He could end up a bottom-pairing defender, but right now, he seems more like a good future AHLer with call-up potential. Austin Kelly

March 2022 – Edwards’ 11 points in 34 games with Michigan in the NCAA don’t jump out at you, but what can you do when you’re an offensive defenseman playing behind Owen Power and Luke Hughes in the power-play pecking order? He will be faced with a significant opportunity to explode offensively when the two-star defensemen in the making sign their entry-level contracts, which could happen as soon as this off-season. Hadi Kalakeche

April 2021 – Edwards has continued his development as a puck-moving defender, accumulating 25 points in 47 games for the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL. His agility, passing game, and transitional poise allow him to drive play up-ice regularly against porous USHL defenses and puts him in favorable situations to showcase his playmaking ability. His commitment to Michigan in 2021-2022 will further his development as he gets his first taste of NCAA hockey. Hadi Kalakeche

October 2020 – Edwards is an agile, fluid, and aggressive skater who loves to close gaps quickly and prevent zone entries rather than box out the player and block shots. His slight frame shapes his game as he plays to his strengths; he pinches hard in the offensive zone because he knows he has the foot speed to get back, and his shot weights it. He will need to work on his game once the opposing play is not suppressed and the puck is in his zone since he is uncomfortable in those situations. What concerns me is that if these areas of his game are problematic at the AJHL level, they will likely be challenging to bring up to NHL standards. If he does make it to the NHL, Edwards will have a productive future. Hadi Kalakeche