Jake Walman has encountered a setback in his recovery, casting doubt on his availability for the season opener. While the Edmonton Oilers have not officially ruled him out for Wednesday night’s game, the initial timeline for his return is now in jeopardy.
The 29-year-old is expected to shoulder a top-four role on the blue line once healthy, making any potential absence a significant blow for the cap-strapped club. Last season, Walman recorded eight points in 15 regular season appearances after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks via trade.
As the saying goes, “Now what?”
Navigating the NHL salary cap on opening day
PuckPedia outlined a plausible blueprint for how the Oilers might navigate the next two days. The club could begin by reassigning David Tomasek and Ike Howard to the AHL, moves that wouldn’t require waivers.
Mattias Janmark would then be placed on injured reserve, opening the door for a short-term call-up to satisfy roster minimums. A player on a league-minimum $775,000 contract — such as James Hamblin — would fit that role. Under this structure, Edmonton’s opening-night roster would be compliant, with just $834 in cap space to spare.
You might as well call it cap compliance and cap complication because this system typically confuses fans.
Some have floated the idea of keeping Tomasek and Howard on the roster while placing Zach Hyman on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), but that strategy doesn’t quite hold up under closer scrutiny. Opening LTIR and in-season LTIR are governed by different rules, meaning Edmonton wouldn’t be able to place Hyman on LTIR until the following day.
Once that move is made, the Oilers would be permitted to exceed the cap by approximately $3.8 million—just $834 shy of the optimal structure. By Wednesday (Day 2 for cap purposes), the team could then recall Tomasek and/or Howard and send the temporary player back down, leaving Edmonton with roughly $1.8 million in usable LTIR space for the remainder of the season.
Roster implications
The injuries are poised to have a meaningful impact on the team, as both Hyman and Janmark are integral to Edmonton’s structure. While the Oilers still boast superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Hyman’s two-way game and physical presence were instrumental in propelling the club back to the Stanley Cup Final last season. His relentless forechecking and net-front grit added a crucial dimension to Edmonton’s attack.
Of course, Hyman’s season came to an abrupt end in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final when a collision with then–Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment resulted in a dislocated wrist, sidelining him for the remainder of the postseason.
While Janmark isn’t a scoring machine, he is trusted in all three zones. He backchecks hard, reads plays well, and can be deployed in tough defensive matchups, especially on the penalty kill.
Opening Night
We’ll see how it all transpires on Wednesday, when the Oilers take on the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. local time.