EDMONTON – “I tell everybody that I’m named after him.”
Hockey players often have athletic lineage – Edmonton Oilers’ defender Jake Walman is no different.
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Darnell Nurse has family members who have played professional football and basketball. Leon Draisaitl’s father played and coached hockey in Europe.
Walman, on the other hand, is related to a boxing legend who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
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On Tuesday, the NHL hosted a Media Day ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Hockey News spoke to Walman, where he revealed a few fun facts, including one about a not-so-distant family member.
“My mom’s uncle is my great uncle, who’s Jake LaMotta,” Walman revealed. “Raging Bull,” he then clarified.
Jake LaMotta was the subject of the 1980 film Raging Bull, which Martin Scorsese directed. Raging Bull’s script was based on LaMotta’s own memoir titled “Raging Bull: My Story.” The film also stars Robert DeNiro as LaMotta.
LaMotta was known for his toughness and his ability to absorb punishment at the hands of rivals like Sugar Ray Robinson.
Walman hasn’t shied away from physical contact. He is one of the most aggressive Oilers’ defenders at clearing the net of any opposing players.
While he may not have been named after his great uncle, it’s an impressive lineage, one he’s proud of.
“I tell everybody that I’m named after him, but my mom and dad say I’m not. I say (it) makes sense.”
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