Connor McDavid teammate reportedly expecting to be put to the test by Oilers in potential contract year

Connor McDavid isn’t the only player on the Edmonton Oilers trending towards a contract year. Therefore, the 2025-26 NHL season will be one of much importance in more ways than one for the team in The Gateway to the North.

Jake Walman is set to enter the final season of his three-year, $10.2 million contract. Although the Oilers didn’t sign the defenseman to that deal—he inked it while with the Detroit Red Wings—many believe Edmonton should keep the 30-year-old on board.

Walman fit right in with the team in Edmonton, joining McDavid and company late in the season and playing a key role in their runner-up finish. Now, the blueliner shares the same goal as the rest of the players: to go all the way.

It was reported before how McDavid’s extension drama could put Walman in an awkward position regarding his contract talks. However, now the blueliner’s strengths and weaknesses might be put to the test in the upcoming campaign.

Jake Walman patrolling the ice during the 2025 Stanley Cup Final

“Jake Walman expects to start the season playing on his off side – the right side – with Darnell Nurse,” Sportsnet’s Mark Spector stated on his X, formerly Twitter, acount.

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How can it affect Walman?

For defensemen in the NHL, playing on one’s off side isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Nor is it a punishment from the coaching staff. However, it adds another level of difficulty for the blueliner. Walman, a left-handed shooter, is reportedly set to play on the right side of the ice. This means he’ll play opposite-handed.

As in everything, you win some, you lose some. Playing on the right side also means Walman will get more looks at the net. For an offensive-minded defenseman like him, playing on his off side might actually be a blessing. Still, he could be under pressure in the Oilers’ own zone, and that’s where any mistake can prove costly.

Needless to say, such a move from Kris Knoblauch and his staff is a double-edged sword. However, Walman has done this before. So it’s not like he’ll enter uncharted territory when playing with his shooting hand opposite to the wall.

Sink or swim

For a player potentially entering a contract year, it might be too big of a responsibility. In a way, it seems Edmonton’s decision is designed to test how effective Walman can be offensively while not becoming a liability in the D-zone. If he passes this tough exam, there’s a strong chance he’ll be offered a new contract before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer of ’26.