The blue line was one of the major question marks for the San Jose Sharks coming into this season. After several offseason transactions, their defense pipeline consisted largely of unproven prospects and veterans who had never played in San Jose. They had no one deserving of a number-one defenseman spot and needed someone to step into that role. Almost halfway through the season, Jake Walman has answered the call. He has been the Sharks’ best all-around defenseman by far, giving the team a weapon that they simply did not have last season. His play is essential to the Sharks continuing their turnaround and will have a major impact on how they manage their defense in the future.
Walman Having Career Year with Sharks
When the Sharks acquired Walman from the Detroit Red Wings, they didn’t have a clear sense of his role, particularly considering that Detroit gave them a second-round pick to take him in exchange for the infamous return of “future considerations.” But Walman has been their clear-cut top defenseman this season on both sides of the ice.
Offensively, he has already set a new career high in points. His powerful slap shot, puck-moving abilities, and zone-exit skills make him a threat to score and set up others, allow the Sharks to control the puck, and give him a crucial role as a point man on power plays. The Sharks were sorely lacking in offensive defensemen last season and Walman’s presence is a major reason why they have improved their scoring by over half a goal per game.
On the defensive end, Walman has become one of San Jose’s top penalty-killing blueliners and is using his size and aptitude for puck-tracking to shift the Sharks’ defense to a level more respectable for the NHL. As he has helped increase the team’s scoring, he has also worked to reduce their goals-allowed numbers by roughly the same amount. All of that adds up to him posting a positive plus/minus through 30 games, which would have been unthinkable for a Sharks defenseman last season.
The Sharks made several offseason moves to better their on-ice product, but it’s clear that Walman was one of the most important. That they effectively got him for nothing makes his contributions all the more valuable.
Walman’s Off-Ice Role Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
Walman’s most obvious contributions might be during the games, but his role expands far beyond that. At the age of 28, he’s not exactly old, but he’s still a much-needed veteran on a very young team. After a miscommunication led to him being healthy-scratched for a game in early November, he took accountability for the error and set an example for the rest of the team.
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Furthermore, he plays with a sense of fun, as evidenced by his viral goal celebrations in Detroit, and brought that same type of joy to San Jose. An upbeat attitude is crucial during a season that has had and will continue to have difficult stretches, and Walman provides positivity. Sharks color commentator Drew Remenda, who is as locked into the team as anybody, has praised Walman for his impact on the locker-room culture.
For the first time in several seasons, the Sharks are fun to watch, and they’re having more fun in the process. An increase in winning is the main factor in this, but bringing in Walman helped tangibly change the attitude around the team.
Sharks’ Uncertain Defensive Future Will Affect Walman
The Sharks have more stability on their blue line now than they did at the start of the season, and Walman is largely responsible for this season. However, they still have a lot more to figure out defensively. Several of their current defensemen are veterans who don’t seem to factor into their long-term plans and their replacements are still working through the minor and junior leagues, and maybe haven’t even been drafted yet.
Walman has been very good, but whether he can be a number-one defenseman on a playoff team remains to be seen. He could even be a trade candidate if a team comes along with a strong offer. General manager Mike Grier has shown that, under the right circumstances, he isn’t afraid to part ways with players who have seemingly established themselves in San Jose.
This season, Walman is asserting himself as the best part of the Sharks’ current blue line. The front office can respond to that either by giving him a prominent role in future lineups or moving him to obtain more prospects and picks that will bolster the team at a much later date. In both scenarios, the starting point will be traced back to the first half of this season when Walman had his breakout.
