Sharks’ Walman Plays Tonight After Sitting Tuesday

Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman will be back in the San Jose Sharks lineup tonight against the Minnesota Wild after sitting out Tuesday’s game as a healthy scratch.

It’s still unclear why he didn’t play in the 2-1 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“Jake did not play because of hockey play,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said Wednesday. “There was nothing to do with that. It was something in between [us] that we’ll keep in house.”

That didn’t bring clarity to the situation, but Warsofsky’s position is hardly novel. As a general rule, NH  coaches don’t like to discuss their dealings with players, especially if it isn’t connected to how the player is performing.

San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng wrote: ” Walman, self-admittedly, wasn’t very good in his last game against the Vancouver Canucks.”

Remember when we said there was more to the Walman trade than people know? #LGRW #RedWings https://t.co/7BJwLmSk9l

— The Grind Line Podcast™ (@GrindLinePod) November 6, 2024

The Canucks won that game 3-2. Walman was minus-2.  In the three games leading up to the Vancouver game, slick-skating Walman posted seven points and was plus-eight. The Sharks have won four of their last five games.

GM Steve Yzerman traded Walman to the Sharks before the NHL draft as he was clearing salary cap space to sign Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane among others.

Walman has had an instant impact as the team’s highest-scoring defenseman. He shows nine points in 13 games, while boasting a plus-two plus-minus. He averages 22.42 minutes per game, just six seconds less than Cody Ceci who leads the team in average playing time.

Toronto native Walman played with Moritz Seider is Detroit and is remembered for doing the gritty after scoring a goal.