The Edmonton Oilers have placed defenseman Jake Walman on injured reserve, the team announced Thursday, October 9, 2025. The move comes after Walman missed Wednesday's season opener against the Calgary Flames due to an undisclosed injury sustained during training camp.
Walman, 28, had been optimistic about playing in the opener but suffered a setback in his recovery. The team has not released specific details regarding the nature of the injury or a timeline for his return. However, with the placement on injured reserve being retroactive to the start of the season, Walman will be eligible to return as early as next Wednesday, when the Oilers visit the New York Rangers. Despite this eligibility, Coach Kris Knoblauch has confirmed that Walman experienced a setback, suggesting a potentially more serious injury.
The move to place Walman on injured reserve opens up a crucial roster spot for newly signed forward Jack Roslovic. The Oilers inked Roslovic to a one-year contract on Wednesday. The team officially registered Roslovic's contract and added him to the active roster. Roslovic is expected to join the team for practice on Friday and could make his debut on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks.
General Manager Stan Bowman addressed the circumstances surrounding the signing of Roslovic, stating that the team had been in contact with the player's agent since the summer. The Oilers were impressed by Roslovic's versatility and scoring ability, as he had 22 goals and 39 points with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. The Oilers liked the idea of adding a forward who led their team in 5-v-5 goals last season.
The Oilers have been navigating a complex salary cap situation. According to Puckpedia.com, the Oilers have a projected cap space of -$2,807,630. Placing Walman on injured reserve provides roster flexibility without immediate cap relief, as it does not free up any extra cap space. To activate Zach Hyman from long-term injured reserve later in the season, the Oilers will need to clear additional cap space.
With Walman sidelined, rookie Alec Regula played alongside Darnell Nurse on the second defensive pairing in the season opener. The pairing controlled a significant portion of expected goals at 5-on-5, but Regula finished the night with a -2 rating.
Walman is entering his first full season with the Oilers and his seventh NHL campaign overall. He is coming off a career-high season offensively, tallying 33 assists and 40 points split between the Oilers and Sharks. The Oilers acquired Walman from the San Jose Sharks ahead of last season's trade deadline.
Looking ahead, the Oilers face tough roster decisions when Walman and Mattias Janmark are ready to return from injured reserve and when Zach Hyman is activated from long-term injured reserve.
