The San Jose Sharks raised eyebrows when they announced that defenseman Jake Walman would be a healthy scratch for their recent matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
And now, more context has been provided courtesy of Sharks beat writer Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. According to Peng, Walman was scratched on November 5 against Columbus for “non-hockey reasons,” with head coach Ryan Warsofsky explaining further via X.
“No one is bigger than the team,” Warsofsky said of Walman's scratch. “We're about the team, and getting better as an organization, our culture, our standards, is really all I can say to that.”
Additionally, Warsofsky said that Walman is now dealing with the effects of an upper-body injury after being hit by Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser on November 2 and that had he not been scratched, he would have been a game-time decision.
In 13 games played this season, Walman has scored one goal with eight assists and is San Jose's leading scorer among defensemen.
Jake Walman acquired by the Sharks in surprising trade during the offseason
In a surprising offseason trade that caught many hockey fans—especially in Detroit—off guard, the Red Wings sent Jake Walman and a second-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for future considerations.
Walman would later admit that the trade was extremely difficult for him in an interview with The Athletic, saying that his heart was in Detroit and was hoping to remain with the club for a long time.
“I was just like shocked, heartbroken,” Walman said. “Thought that I was going to be there for a long time. I just thought I’d built such a strong foundation in Detroit, not just with the team but in Detroit. My heart was there, you know? I wanted to bring that success and passion to Detroit.”
Originally selected in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Walman has tallied 26 goals and 34 assists during his career, which now spans 215 games and three teams.
Follow Us
Subscribe
