DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills looked back at Jake Walman’s first full season with the Red Wings on Thursday afternoon, noting that Walman expects to continue to improve as he continues forward, presumably paired with one Moritz Seider:
Then the Detroit Red Wings acquired Walman at the 2022 trade deadline, marking a new opportunity for the 27-year-old blueliner to prove himself. After playing 19 games with Detroit in 2021-22, Walman emerged as a top-pair defenseman last season and set career-highs in goals (nine), assists (nine), points (18) and games played (63).
“I did a lot of things that I put my mind to,” Walman said in his end-of-season media session. “The people that have been riding with me, family and close friends, they’ve known that I had it in me. I just needed a chance to show it.”
Walman was rewarded for his breakout campaign with a three-year contract extension on Feb. 28.
“All the stuff I’ve been through and the adversity I had to get through to get here, I think I was ready for the challenge,” the 6-foot-2, 215-pound blueliner said. “For me, I’m just gonna keep running and going with it.”
Continued; I hope that Walman is correct regarding his ascendant play.
