The Edmonton Oilers took a swing at the 2025 Trade Deadline acquiring defender Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a conditional first-round pick and Carl Berglund. With the Oilers needing to bolster their defensive depth, Walman is the perfect acquisition and it seems as though he has been the perfect fit since joining the team, and his analytics speak for themselves.
Jake Walman, acquired by EDM, is an offensive defenceman. Has a big point shot and loves to use it. Good puck mover with a nice stretch pass. Can be a bit turnover prone, not particularly physical. Has had an impressive season all things considered as SJ’s #1. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/Dqxa6gI8ev
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) March 7, 2025
He has looked solid since joining the Oilers, even elevating the play of Evan Bouchard, and aside from having a relatable personality both on and off the ice that fans from his previous teams have grown to love, it seems as though he will be a huge help to the Oilers’ blue line. As the Oilers try to get back to the Stanley Cup Final and win their first championship since 1990, after coming up just short last season, let’s take a deeper look at who Walman is as a player and a person.
Walman Played Junior Hockey in the OJHL & NCAA
Walman was drafted in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues after a strong campaign in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens where he scored seven goals and added 26 assists for 33 points through 43 games. He joined Providence College in the NCAA in the 2014-15 season where he scored one goal and added 15 assists for 16 points through 41 games in his rookie season with them. He played two more seasons in the NCAA, notching 69 points over 107 total games which comes out to a 0.64 points-per-game average, before jumping to the professional level.
Walman joined the American Hockey League (AHL) at the end of the 2016-17 season scoring two goals and adding one assist for three points through seven games. In the 2017-18 AHL season, he scored four goals and added 16 assists for 20 points through 59 games. He played one NHL game in the 2019-20 season with the Blues and didn’t get a point, but became a mainstay in the NHL the following season.
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Through 256 games in the NHL split between the Oilers, Sharks, Blues, and Detroit Red Wings, he has scored 31 goals and added 54 assists for 85 points which comes out to a 0.33 points-per-game average. Since joining the Oilers, he has notched two assists through four games.
Walman’s Style of Play
Fans were split down the middle before the trade deadline when it came to what they thought the Oilers needed to add on their blue line. Some fans believed they needed a shutdown defender who could play on the bottom pairing and keep the puck out of the net in clutch moments, while others believed the Oilers would benefit from adding a puck-moving defender to keep the puck out of their end. Walman seems to be a solid mixture of both, and while his defensive game isn’t the most consistent, he seems to be confident in both ends since joining the Oilers.
Walman has also elevated the play of Bouchard, who he has played with since joining the Oilers due to an injury to Mattias Ekholm, and it seems as though he may have been the perfect fit for them heading into the postseason. Walman is also under contract through next season, making him a worthy acquisition considering he won’t just be a rental that the team runs the risk of losing when the 2024-25 campaign concludes. Even when Ekholm returns, Walman should be left on the top pairing beside Bouchard, but even if he isn’t, the Oilers’ defensive depth is one of their biggest strengths heading toward the postseason.
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