Kanata, Ontario — When the Red Wings acquired defenseman Jake Walman from St. Louis last season, he was considered a project who had yet to find his way in the NHL.
Things have changed in almost a year. Walman and the Wings on Tuesday signed a three-year contract extension for $10.2 million ($3.4 million cap hit per year).
Walman, 27, has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 40 games with the Wings this season, with a plus-17 plus-minus rating. Finding a home in a pairing with Moritz Seider, Walman is averaging almost 19 minutes of ice time (18:55), and is playing the best hockey of his NHL career.
Walman was acquired at last year’s trade deadline along with Oskar Sundqvist and a 2023 second-round draft pick for defensemen Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski, and had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 51 games with the Blues and Red Wings.
Walman was a 2014 third-round draft pick of the Blues, and has 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) and a plus-eight rating in 116 career NHL games.
Walman joins defenseman Olli Maatta as two prospective unrestricted free agents who general manager Steve Yzerman has re-signed in recent days, prior to Friday’s trade deadline.
With the Wings’ recent surge, and now in playoff contention, it’s likely Yzerman will stand pat and not be active before the 3 p.m. Friday deadline.
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan