Jake Walman faces Sharks for first time since trade to Edmonton Oilers

Jake Walman has come a long way since the NHL trade deadline back on March 7.

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More than 20 spots ahead in the standings, to be precise.

He had, after all, been playing on a San Jose Sharks squad sitting dead last in the standings when the Edmonton Oilers traded for him for the price of a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft and forward prospect Carl Berglund.

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Suddenly, the 29-year-old veteran of six NHL seasons was back to playing meaningful games in the spring, having been tossed a lifeline on the season.

And on Tuesday, his travels brought him back to San Jose for the first time since going from pretender to contender.

“It’s been great, it’s a fun team,” Walman said when asked about the past month in Edmonton. “It’s been pretty easy to fit in and the guys have been great.

“To be honest, I didn’t really expect it at all but I’m fortunate to be a part of this team. It’s a team that’s had a chance over the last couple years and I’m excited to be a part of it and happy that they came and got me and saw something in me.”

Meanwhile, back in San Jose, the Sharks have earned just seven points in 11 games since the trade deadline, for a league-low 50 on the season. Both teams have just eight games remaining on their schedules and will face each other three more times in that span, beginning Thursday at SAP Center (8 p.m., Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, Sportsnet West).

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And that’s good news for an Oilers organization looking to make a push for second place in the Pacific Division (currently held by the Los Angeles Kings), after edging the division-leading Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Tuesday.

The danger, of course, is there are no guarantees in the NHL, especially down the playoff stretch. And a loss to the last-place Sharks would most certainly kill any momentum the Oilers accumulated from earning that win without Connor McDavid in the lineup.

The Oilers captain didn’t travel with the team on this four-game road trip, and remains out week to week with a lower-body injury. They are also without starting goalie Stuart Skinner (head injury) and top-pairing defenceman Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed injury), which has seen Walman move up and play alongside Evan Bouchard.

A 29-year-old native of Toronto, Walman has six points (one goal, five assists) in 12 games with the Oilers, after earning 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in 50 games as the Sharks’ top-scoring defenceman.

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“It’s a different situation, obviously, for sure,” Walman said. “But like I said in San Jose, that team’s going to be good in a few years and they’ve got a lot of good pieces. But coming here, obviously a different situation.

“It’s kind of just (about) fitting in for me. It’s already a great team and I’m just kind of doing what I can to provide that little extra and fit in where I can. So, I think it’s been pretty easy so far.”

And Walman’s not about to start looking back on his career anytime soon. After all, it has been as much gritty as it has been Griddy goal celebrations.

“I’m really proud of where I am right now. All the adversity I’ve dealt with in the beginning of my career set me up for a time like this and I think I’m kind of just getting started in my career right now,” he said. “I was cheering for these guys last year in the playoffs and to be a part of it now I’m really excited. And really happy to help.

“To be a part of a team like this, it’s kind of always what I wanted to be. I’ve always talked about (playing) meaningful games and that’s what I have now. I played with some of these guys growing up and to hear them talk to me and text me right away after (the trade) happened, at the pro level it’s cool to see. And I feel like I’m fitting in pretty good.”

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Needless to say, Walman will be even more boisterous in his cheering for the Oilers’ playoff drive this time around.

“I’ve known Connor growing up. He works his ass off and deserves to win,” Walman said. “So, I think we’re all kind of pulling in the right direction and we’re all trying to figure out the same thing.

“I’m just happy to try and be a part of that.”

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

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