Detroit Red Wings: Jake Walman looking to build upon 2022-23
The Detroit Red Wings were smart, and earlier this season, they locked Jake Walman up to a three-year contract extension. After acquiring him from the St. Louis Blues, he jumped into the defensive core and has really found his role.
The Detroit Red Wings started playing Walman on the top pairing with youngster Moritz Seider this season. The two have been a defense pairing for most of 2022-23, and the results have been impressive, as the two really developed some chemistry.
Walman was quiet in his short stint with Detroit to end 2021-22 after the trade deadline but really perked up this year after finding his way. It’s a defense pairing that needs to stick together moving forward and continue developing their chemistry.
The Red Wings saw Walman come into his own offensively and blossom on and off the ice. He tapped into some offense this year and also has been a benefit to the locker room and team camaraderie off the ice.
Detroit Red Wings defender Jake Walman is looking to build upon ’22-23.
Walman managed career-high numbers offensively in 2022-23, scoring nine goals and adding nine assists for 18 total points over 63 games. It may not seem like the most drastic jump, but it was a sizable & noticeable one.
He found himself involved in the offensive zone and tag-teaming things in the Red Wings zone with Seider beside him. He was one of four defensemen who was above 100 blocked shots, managing 121 blocked shots in 2022-23, alongside Seider, who led the Red Wings with 190.
His improvements were truly on both sides of the ice, which really allowed the Red Wings to see the 27-year-old defender take off in his performance. On top of that, Walman signed his three-year deal that kicks in during 2023-24.
After such a strong performance this season, finding his way alongside Seider, there is hope that he can continue building upon this moving forward. It’s not to say that he will show up in 2023-24 as a Norris Trophy candidate, but he’s looking to keep moving in the right direction.
He needs to be kept on that top pairing with Seider moving forward, especially after what he showed in 2022-23. The Red Wings’ defense core of the future is starting to take shape, and Walman is proving to be a big piece of that puzzle.
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The Red Wings got it right by extending Walman during the 2022-23 season, and the results were great regarding Walman’s performance.