Oilers' new acquisition Jake Walman makes thoughts clear on settling into team

Jake Walman made his Edmonton Oilers debut in a 5-4 win over the Dallas Stars at Rogers Place on Saturday. The defenseman, recently acquired from San Jose, spoke to the media about adjusting to his new team.

Walman said he needed time to get comfortable but settled in as the game went on.

"Just trying to get my feet under me, especially in that first period," Walman said. "After that, I kind of settled in, and it was pretty easy to play with those guys."

Jake Walman recorded an assist on Zach Hyman’s goal and mentioned feeling a connection with him:

"I knew me and Hymie had some sort of connection. I can't put a finger on it, but I know there's something there."

Walman also described his setup pass, saying he placed it in a good spot for Hyman, who finished the play well:

"It was a great handle by him. It was a tough puck to knock down, and I was just trying to put it in an area for him. I saw he had a step, so I just tried to place it right. He made a great play—I’m not sure what it hit, but he controlled it really well and buried it."

Walman played alongside Darnell Nurse and felt 'comfortable' on his offside. He finished the game with three shots, two hits, three blocked shots, and a plus-3 rating.

“Nursey made it easy for me, and I’m comfortable on that side,” he said.

Jake Walman also executed a hit on the Dallas Stars' newly acquired forward Mikko Rantanen. Walman has 33 points in 51 games this season - a strong showing despite playing for the struggling Sharks. He may not get much power-play time in Edmonton but could still contribute offensively.

Jake Walman talked about Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch's trust

The Edmonton Oilers built an early lead with goals from Hyman, Viktor Arvidsson, Connor McDavid and Connor Brown. Dallas responded with goals from Rantanen, Jamie Benn and Mathew Dumba, but Edmonton held on for the win.

Some of Jake Walman's family and friends were present in the Rogers Place arena. He played important minutes late in the game, showing the coach’s trust in him.

"Yeah, it means a lot. Any competitor wants to be in that position," Walman said. "Those are big minutes, and I’m up for the challenge. Wherever they put me, I’m going to compete as hard as I can, and that was the case tonight."

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner made 21 saves with a save percentage of .840 to secure the win.