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‘No Chip On My Shoulder’: Sharks’ Jake Walman Preparing For Red Wings Return Like Any Other Game

max miller
·2 min read

San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman isn’t treating tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings any differently.

“No chip on my shoulder. [I’m] just happy to be back here,” Walman said. “[I’m] happy to have a new page to kind of start, and new chapter. I'm just an ultra-competitive person, so every game is a new challenge. It's just another game, but I'm sure there'll be a lot more smiles on the ice tonight.”

Walman played 145 games for the Red Wings from 2021-2024. He had 21 goals and 22 assists and was a fan favorite for his competitiveness and iconic Griddy celebration.

Walman was traded to the San Jose Sharks as a salary cap dump, along with a 2024 second-round pick for future considerations.

Related: BREAKING: Sharks Acquire Jake Walman, 2024 2nd-Round Pick From Red Wings

Although the defenseman says he’s treating the game like any other, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky understands the human nature involved.

“Just simplify your game early, [and] not try to do too much and let the game spiral out of control. But at the same time, he's a human being. He’s not a robot,” Warsofsky said. “There's emotion that comes with this sport. There's emotion and feelings that go into playing your former team, living here, growing up here, whatever the it might be, you have to live through those feelings and try to mask them as best as you can, but you can't cover up everything. So I think the biggest thing for him is keeping his game simple, getting his legs into it, [and] not trying to do too much.”

Walman is a popular player within the San Jose Sharks locker room. He often talks with many of his teammates after practice and morning skates. That was evident during his time in Detroit as well.

“I've always mentioned David Perron—[He’s] one of those guys, not here anymore. I was fortunate enough to play with [Moritz] Seider last year, and I think me and him probably had some really good chemistry and [are] friends off the ice, too,” Walman said. “When you have confidence and guys around you that want you to do well, it's a lot easier to perform. I think I have that here in San Jose, and that's where you see the game going now.”

The Red Wings are on a seven-game winning streak and are 7-1 since they hired former San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan.

Make sure you bookmark THN's San Jose Sharks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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