Walman joins Oilers roster after starting season on injured reserve

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes the save as Jake Walman (96) tries for the rebound against the Seattle Kraken during third period NHL action in Edmonton on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

A key defensive cog is coming back to the Edmonton Oilers’ blueline.

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The National Hockey League team announced Monday on social media that it activated Jake Walman from the injured reserve list. He is expected to make his season debut Tuesday in Ottawa against the Senators after missing the first six games of 2025-26 with an undisclosed injury he suffered in the team’s first preseason game last month.

The Oilers signed the 29-year-old defenceman to a seven-year, $49-million contract extension just before the campaign started almost two weeks ago.

And they can use him. Edmonton, the runner-up in the last two Stanley Cup finals, is off to a slow start with a 2-3-1 record. They lost their third game in a row on Sunday to the Detroit Red Wings.

Walman, who is expected to line up on the team’s second defensive pairing with Darnell Nurse, is coming off a career-best season offensively, in which he scored seven goals and 33 assists for 40 points in 65 games played between Edmonton and San Jose. He added one goal and seven assists for eight points in 22 playoff games.

Edmonton acquired Walman from the San Jose Sharks in the run-up to last season’s NHL trade deadline in exchange for prospect Carl Berglund and a conditional first-round draft pick.

The Oilers will have to shed a player from their roster with Walman rejoining the lineup.