Former St. Louis Blues third-round pick Jake Walman has signed a seven-year, $7-million AAV contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
The deal will see Walman earn $49 million as a top-pairing defenseman on the Oilers. The contract is a big deal for the Oilers, but it will likely be overshadowed by Connor McDavid's two-year extension, which will see him be paid $12.5 million annually.
Before Walman signed his lucrative deal, he was a third-round pick (82nd overall) of the Blues in 2014. He went on to play 57 games with the Blues, scoring four goals and eight points. On March 21, 2022, Walman was traded to the Detroit Red Wings alongside Oskar Sundqvist and a 2023 second-round pick for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski.
The now 29-year-old defender played three seasons with the Red Wings before he and a second-round pick were sent to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations in the 2024 off-season. Fast forward to the 2025 trade deadline, and the Sharks flipped Walman for a 2026 first-round pick and prospect Carl Berglund to the Oilers.
Although Evan Bouchard runs the top power play in Edmonton, Walman provides offense at 5-on-5, notching two goals and 10 points in 22 playoff games last year.
The Oilers are hoping to find their way back to the Stanley Cup finals this year, and Walman's offense from the blueline will be required to do so.