San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Jake Walman and a second-round draft selection in the 2024 NHL Draft (53rd overall, Tampa Bay’s selection) from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.
Walman, 28, posted 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 63 games with Detroit last season, good for fourth among all Red Wings blue liners. His goal and points totals were career-highs and included a penalty-shot goal in overtime on Feb. 10 vs. Vancouver. He was second in short-handed ice time (154:15), third in average time on ice (19:46/game) and third in blocked shots (151) among team defensemen.
The six-foot-one, 218-pound native of Toronto, Ontario has played in 202 career NHL games with St. Louis and Detroit, collecting 51 points (25 goals, 26 assists) and 107 penalty minutes. He was originally selected by St. Louis in the third round (82nd overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft.
Between 2016-2020, Walman played 189 games in the American Hockey League with Chicago, Binghamton and San Antonio, scoring 63 points (17 goals, 46 assists) and 106 penalty minutes.
Prior to his professional career, he attended Providence College for three seasons, where he was named Hockey East First All-Star Team (2016, 2017), NCAA East First All-American Team (2016) and NCAA East Second All-American Team (2017), and was part of the program’s national champion team in 2014-15.
With the addition of Tampa Bay’s second round selection, the Sharks now hold three second round selections (33, 42 and 53) and five selections in the top 60 picks (1, 14, 33, 42, 53) in the 2024 NHL Draft, which will take place this Friday and Saturday at Sphere in Las Vegas.
