The Edmonton Oilers are heading into Saturday night’s matchup with the Florida Panthers without one of their most important blue-liners. Thanks to an injury, Jake Walman was unexpectedly absent from the team’s morning warmup in Sunrise, raising immediate questions about his availability.
The good news is, head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed Walman is day-to-day and is not expected to miss extended time.
After taking several heavy hits Thursday against Tampa — including a massive collision from Curtis Douglas and a painful shot block — it appears the physical toll might finally be catching up to him.
The Oilers’ morning skate pairings did not include Walman, whose usual spot was filled by Alec Regula. Edmonton rolled with Ekholm–Bouchard, Nurse–Regula, and Kulak–Emberson. There was no postgame indication that Walman was hurt, but the way he gutted through Thursday’s bumps suggested he wasn’t at 100 percent. Whether this is a precautionary rest day or a sign of something more concerning remains unclear.