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Oilers Place Walman on Injured Reserve, New Signee Joins Roster Without Cap Issue

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 11:48 PM ET

The Edmonton Oilers placed defenseman Jake Walman on injured reserve Thursday, a move that provides temporary roster and cap flexibility as the team finalizes its early-season lineup, particularly following the recent signing of Jack Roslovic. While Walman’s absence is a setback, it allows Edmonton to officially add Roslovic without needing to trade or waive another player — at least for now.

Walman’s IR placement can be retroactive to the start of the season, meaning he could return as soon as he’s healthy. According to PuckPedia, “Walman would be eligible to be activated from IR at any time. If Walman is activated and Roslovic is on the roster, one other player would need to come off (IR or Minors) to be at 23 players.”

Initially expected to miss only the season opener, Walman has now been ruled out for Saturday’s game against Vancouver. The 28-year-old did practice Wednesday, suggesting his return may not be far off.

With Walman sidelined, rookie Alec Regula skated alongside Darnell Nurse on the second pairing against Calgary, while Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm, and Brett Kulak with Ty Emberson, rounded out the defensive corps.

Edmonton is hoping that Walman’s absence doesn’t become a longer-term issue, although the defenseman seems to have already suffered at least one setback based on early timelines mentioned by Oilers’ head coach Kris Knoblauch.

The timing of the injury comes just days after Walman signed a seven-year, $49 million extension with the Oilers. The deal cemented his status as a long-term piece on Edmonton’s blue line following a breakout 2024–25 campaign in which he posted 40 points in 65 games and averaged nearly 23 minutes per night.

Alongside Walman, forwards Mattias Janmark and Zach Hyman remain out of the lineup — the latter on long-term injured reserve until at least November. While the Oilers’ roster puzzle remains a work in progress, Walman’s short-term absence has at least bought the team a little time to make its next cap move.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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