A rival voice tried to turn the Oilers’ blue line into a punchline, but the numbers and the roster moves tell a more complicated story.
On a recent appearance on the DLLS Stars Podcast, San Jose Sharks reporter Sheng Peng took a shot at Edmonton’s defence, saying: "Half of their defense is the Sharks defense from two years ago; Jake Walman, Ty Emberson & Shakir Mukhamadullin and I don't know how that's a good thing..."
Peng also said: ''I don't really get the Edmonton part of it. Maybe you guys can explain like half of their defense is the Sharks defense from two years ago; Jake Walman, Ty Emberson & Shakir Mukhamadullin and I don't know how that's a good… pic.twitter.com/qMQizzFg9b''
The timing made the comment even more pointed, coming from a Sharks reporter on a Dallas Stars podcast, especially with Edmonton having beaten Dallas in two of the past three Western Conference Finals appearances.
But the easy jab leaves out a lot. The Oilers’ defence has been a strength for years, even if it keeps getting dragged into the spotlight as a problem area.
In all-situations data from evolving-hockey.com, Edmonton ranked 13th in corsi against per 60 minutes and 14th in expected goals against per 60 minutes in 2025-26. The year before, they were 4th in CA/60 and 8th in xGA/60.
In 2023-24, they were 3rd in CA/60 and 6th in xGA/60.
That’s the backdrop for the Sharks-related criticism, and it matters. Edmonton has indeed added several former San Jose defenders, but each move comes with its own context.
Ty Emberson joined the Oilers in the 2024 offseason after playing 30 games for the Sharks the previous season. In San Jose, the 26-year-old averaged 18:33 of ice time.
Since arriving in Edmonton, he has played more than 70 games in each of the past two seasons, averaging 15:07 and 15:31. That drop of more than three minutes a night changes the picture quite a bit, turning him from a legitimate top-four option into more of a steady No. 5 or No. 6 defender.
Jake Walman has been the most important of the Sharks-to-Oilers additions. Edmonton got him at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, and he was quickly pushed into a top-four job, mostly beside former Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse.
He then put together a strong playoff run and finished with 18 points in 37 games across the regular season and playoffs. That performance led to a seven-year extension worth $7 million per season, which begins this year.
Walman’s first full season in Edmonton was disrupted by injuries, and his ice time dipped from 23:11 with the Sharks to 18:45 last season. Even so, he still profiles as a capable second-pair puck-moving defenceman who can add offence from the back end and has a chance to rebound.
Shakir Mukhamadullin is the newest name in the group. The 24-year-old Russian defender arrived as a key piece in the Nurse swap this past summer.
He has yet to play a game for Edmonton, so there is no usage to judge yet. What is clear is that he is moving from a struggling Sharks team into a much more competitive environment.
If he ends up in a major role, he will have earned it. Most likely, he settles in as a No. 4 to No. 6 defender on the depth chart.
It is easy to go after a rival team with a quick line. It is harder to account for what actually happened on the ice.
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