The San Jose Sharks have improved their defense.
The Sharks have acquired defenseman Jake Walman and a 2024 second-round pick — 53rd-overall, originally from the Tampa Bay Lightning — from the Detroit Red Wings for…nothing.
Well, nothing for now, at least. Officially, the Red Wings are receiving future considerations.
No word yet what that means. But a league source told San Jose Hockey Now that this was a cap-clearing move by Detroit.
The San Jose Sharks, on the other hand, currently under the $65 million cap floor, have plenty of space to absorb Walman’s $3.4 million AAV in each of the next two seasons.
Walman, 28, scored 12 goals and nine assists in 63 games this past season. He averaged 19:46 a night, third among Wings defensemen, and was also a regular penalty killer, on the power play, and a proficient shot blocker.
On the last-place San Jose Sharks, the 6-foot-1 defenseman might well be considered their No. 1 right now, ahead of even Mario Ferraro, who led the team last year in ice-time.
Either way, Walman should take some pressure off Ferraro, as the Sharks attempt to build a far more competitive team around incoming youngsters Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.
GM Mike Grier has been busy in the lead-up to Friday’s Draft and Jul. 1 free agency.
In just this past week, he’s acquired Walman, Barclay Goodrow, Ty Dellandrea, and Egor Afanasyev. Let’s see what else he has up his sleeve as he tries to get last year’s 47-point disaster out of the cellar.
More must-reads: