The Edmonton Oilers drafted defenseman Jake Walman on injured reserve Thursday, a move that provides temporary roster and cap flexibility as the team finalizes its early-season lineup, especially after the recent signing of Jack Roslovic. While Walman’s absence is a setback, it allows Edmonton to officially add Roslovic without having to trade or part with another player — at least for now.
Walman’s IR placement could be retroactive to the start of the season, meaning he could return as soon as he’s healthy. According to PuckPedia“Walman could be eligible to be activated from IR at any time. If Walman is activated and Roslovic is on the roster, one other player would have to go (IR or Minors) to get to 23 players.”
Initially expected to miss only the season opener, Walman has now been ruled out for Saturday’s game against Vancouver. The 28-year-old did practice on Wednesday, suggesting his return may not be far away.
With Walman sidelined, rookie Alec Regula skated alongside Darnell Nurse in the second game against Calgary, while Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm, and Brett Kulak with Ty Emberson rounded out the defense corps.
Edmonton is hoping Walman’s absence doesn’t become a longer-term issue, though the defenseman appears to have already suffered at least one setback based on the early timelines mentioned by Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.
The timing of the injury comes just days after Walman signed a seven-year, $49 million extension with the Oilers. The deal cemented his status as a long-term piece on Edmonton’s blue line after a breakout 2024-25 campaign in which he scored 40 points in 65 games and averaged nearly 23 minutes per night.
In addition to Walman, forwards Mattias Janmark and Zach Hyman remain out of the lineup – the latter on long-term injured reserve until at least November. While the Oilers’ roster puzzle is still a work in progress, Walman’s brief absence has at least given the team some time to make its next cap move.
Next: Roslovic Move shows oil companies aren’t waiting, which is bad news for Skinner
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