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Oilers’ Jake Walman Extension Will Come After Connor McDavid’s

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Justin Giampietro | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 4:03 PM ET

Recently, Edmonton Oilers insider Bob Stauffer reported that defenceman Jake Walman could be getting a six-year extension from the team when the time comes. But don’t expect it to come anytime soon. According to Sportsnet‘s Mark Spector, he likely won’t agree to anything until Connor McDavid gets his payday.

Jake Walman’s agent, Wade Arnott, was in EDM yesterday to speak with the Oilers on an extension.
We suspect that no contract gets done before the McDavid extension is announced. But things can change.
— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) September 13, 2025

Walman, acquired in March, was a key player for the Oilers in their push for a Stanley Cup. In the playoffs, he was a top-four, puck-moving defender and accumulated 10 points across 22 contests. The 29-year-old still has one year left on his current deal, but he’s someone the team will want to keep around—an extension is paramount.

However, it makes sense that he’d be holding off until the Oilers’ centrepiece agrees to a new deal. McDavid is on the last year of his contract as well, and his “no term” comment has fans speculating.

If Spector’s assumption is correct, Walman is simply being cautious here. While it’s very likely that McDavid stays in Edmonton, there is a non-zero chance he decides it’s best to move on. Instead of Walman spending the rest of his prime years on the Oilers without McDavid’s guaranteed presence, waiting until a deal’s done makes the future a lot less murky.

This highlights the importance of getting McDavid locked up. It’s not really up to the Oilers, but they should want to get him signed as soon as possible, so all extension-eligible players can feel good about putting pen to paper ahead of schedule.