The Edmonton Oilers have had a busy day extending players. Not only did the team sign Connor McDavid to a two-year extension, but they have also extended Jake Walman on a seven-year $49 million extension. Not only did the Oilers keep a solid defender, but Walman got a great deal in the process.
Walman was the 82nd overall pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 2014 NHL Draft. He played at Providence College before joining the Blues' AHL affiliate. The blueliner finally made it to the NHL level in the 2019-20 season, playing in one game. He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings during the 2021-212 season. Walman would be traded to the San Jose Sharks in the summer of 2024. In March 2025, he was traded to the Oilers in exchange for a conditional first-round pick.
Now, Walman has been extended for seven more seasons, giving him eight more years with the Oilers.
Jake Walman's contract grade
Walman is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He played in a career high of 65 games between time with the Sharks and Oilers. Further, he found the back of the net seven times while adding 33 assists, giving him a career high of 40 points. His advanced statistics also improved on offense. His IPP, individual point percentage, hit a career high, as did his creation of high-danger scoring chances. He also continued to be a top-four level defender. This past season, he set a career high in hits, while having the second-most shots blocked and second-most takeaways of his NHL career.
Now, the defender has security for most of the rest of his career, and he is getting paid like a top-two rotation defender. This is the first long-term contract of his NHL career. He had never had a deal longer than three years, and is getting seven years on this deal. Considering he will turn 30 years old this season, the deal will run him until he is 37 years old. That makes this one of the last, if not the last, contract of his career.
Meanwhile, Walman got a massive pay raise. He will be paid just $3.4 million this season, in the last year of a three-year contract. Now he will be paid $7 million per year for the next seven seasons. Not only is the blueliner getting financial security, but he is also playing on a team that will contend for the Cup over the next few seasons.
Jake Walman contract grade: A
Edmonton Oilers contract grade
The Oilers are continuing to show their commitment to bring a Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. The team has made two straight Final appearances and has been to the playoffs six straight seasons. With this signature, three of the top four defenders for the team are now locked up through the 2028-29 season. That is when Evan Bouchard will see his contract expire.
Further, the team is getting a quality defender. He was an NHL journeyman until he started to break out with the Sharks this past season. Now, he has proven he is a top-four level defender. Not only is he a quality skater, but he is also excellent on defense with solid range and the power to lay out big hits. He is great in the transition game and is vital to the quick score offense of the Oilers. This was shown during the 2025 playoffs. Walman played in 22 games, scoring twice and adding eight assists, while also playing top-end defense.
Regardless, this is a clear win-now mode for the Oilers. McDavid is signed for just the next three seasons, while the team has invested in some players who will be in the twilight of their careers when their contracts end. Trent Frederic will be 35 years old when his contract ends. Leon Draisaitl will be 37 years old. Darnell Nurse will be 35 years old as well. When the contract ends for Walman, he will be 37 years old
The new deal takes up less than 6.5 percent of the salary cap in 2028-29, and will most likely be less when the contract ends. Still, this will be a 37-year-old defender whose game is built on a physical style of play. The Oilers could make a run to a third straight Stanley Cup final with this core, but they will need to pay the price further down the road.
Part of that price will be the contract of Walman. While a solid deal currently, the length of the contract could be an issue in the future.
Edmonton Oilers contract grade: B
