Training camp is here, and the Oilers’ blue line is still carrying one of the biggest swing factors on the roster: Jake Walman.
Edmonton brought him in to be more than a name on the depth chart. With Darnell Nurse gone this offseason after handling heavy minutes and a major role, Walman is the defenseman being asked to absorb some of that load. That’s a lot to put on a player who had an up-and-down 2025-26 season and is now in the first year of a seven-year deal carrying a $7 million cap hit.
Walman’s year started with a bang and then spent too much time bouncing around. He opened on the injured list, missed the first six games, then scored the overtime winner in his season debut on Oct. 21 against the Ottawa Senators.
After that came another long interruption: 23 missed games from Nov. 20 through Jan. 13 because of a deep bone bruise from blocking a shot. In total, he played 53 games, finished with eight goals and 20 points, and posted a minus-17, second-worst on the team behind Andrew Mangiapane’s minus-19.
There was at least one encouraging note, though - he chipped in four assists in six playoff games.
The issue wasn’t just the box score. At 5-on-5, Edmonton controlled 50.88 percent of the shots with Walman on the ice, but that was the only category he finished above 50 percent.
The Oilers were at 43.59 percent of the scoring chances, 45.35 percent of the high-danger scoring chances, 34.38 percent of the high-danger goals, and 40.91 percent of the goals with him out there. Those numbers tell the story of a player who helped the opposition more than his own team.
If last season repeats itself, Edmonton has a problem. A player making this kind of money can’t be a drag on the back end.
Walman’s puck decisions and reads hurt the Oilers at times, and if that continues, third-pair duty becomes a real possibility. That’s not where the team wants him, especially with the contract he’s on.
Health is part of the equation too. Walman has never played more than 65 games in a season, and with the NHL now at 84 games, durability matters even more. Edmonton does have more defensive depth than it used to, with eight NHL defencemen on the roster, so the team has some cover if injuries strike again.
The downside is obvious: fewer than five goals, fewer than 20 points, and another rough showing in plus/minus would make this a disappointing year. A minus-17 is a number he has to clean up, plain and simple.
The upside is still there, though, and it starts with role and usage. Walman averaged 18:45 last season, and if he stays in the top four, that number should climb closer to 20 minutes a night. Edmonton’s left side gives the coaching staff options, and the pairings can shift depending on who’s playing best.
He may get time with Evan Bouchard, and the numbers from last season suggest that could be the right fit. Walman is likely to open the season with Connor Murphy, but he struggled badly in that pairing.
With Bouchard, the picture was much better. In 59:20 together at 5-on-5, the Oilers outscored opponents 5-4, outshot them 43-20, and owned 63.33 percent of the scoring chances.
That kind of chemistry matters.
Walman also has a real weapon in his shot, and Edmonton needs him to use it more. If he can stay healthy, settle into a top-four role, and produce 10 goals and 35 points over a full season, that would look a lot more like the player the Oilers need.
The Toronto native has a clear path to a strong season. The question is whether he can finally put the injuries and inconsistency behind him and deliver it.
In Other News...
Zach Hyman Now Has Plenty Riding On Edmonton's Coaching Gamble
Zach Hymans place in Edmonton has never felt particularly fragile, but the next stretch of his contract gives the situation a little more edge. He remains one of the more important forwards on the roster, and the Oilers are still sorting through what their new coaching setup will mean for a player whose game has long been tied to pace, work rate and trust from behind the bench.
Mike Babcocks arrival adds another layer because Hyman has already been tied to the coaching change in a very direct way. He supported the idea from the start based on past experiences with Babcock, and now the real test is still ahead since meaningful competitive play under the new coach has not begun. For Hyman, the season ahead is about more than production - it could help shape how this relationship and his role in Edmonton look going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Former Oilers Playoff Hero Could Soon Face A Familiar Kind Of Pressure
Mike Talbot is getting another chance to step into a pressure-packed crease, this time with the Columbus Blue Jackets after two seasons in Detroit. The veteran goaltender once helped the Oilers end a 10-year playoff drought, and he now lands in a familiar kind of environment: a team trying to climb back into the postseason picture while leaning on experienced hands to stabilize the position.
Columbus' goaltending depth chart is a little more open than usual, with Jet Greaves and Phoenix Copley in the mix while Elvis Merzlikins recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. For Talbot, that creates both an opportunity and an expectation, because this is the sort of situation where a steady stretch in net can matter far beyond the regular season. He has been here before with Edmonton, and the Blue Jackets are hoping he can help them chase the same kind of breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Are Playing A Risky Waiting Game With Matt Savoie
Matt Savoies contract situation has become one of those summer business items the Oilers would probably prefer to resolve quietly, but the longer it lingers, the more it fits into a league-wide pattern of players and teams feeling their way through a changing market. Stan Bowman has been upfront enough to indicate this is not a panic point for Edmonton, even with negotiations delayed and the salary landscape still shifting around the NHL.
For the Oilers, the gamble is in the timing as much as the dollars. A recent flurry of CBA-deadline deals has helped inflate the marketplace, and Edmonton may be willing to wait for some of that noise to fade before settling on the terms that matter most for Savoie. It is a patient approach, but in a cap world where every small edge counts, waiting too long can be just as risky as moving too early. [Read more 🡒]