The San Jose Sharks will use Jake Walman for the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets

SAN JOSE – Defenseman Jake Walman will be sidelined for the first time this season on Tuesday when the San Jose Sharks face the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 4 of a five-game homestand.

Walman is dealing with a minor upper-body injury suffered in the first period of Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. However, coach Ryan Warsofsky said the sitting Walman, who leads all Sharks defensemen with nine points and is second among all skaters in average time on ice (22:42), was his decision.

Rookie Jack Thompson will move in in place of Walman as the Sharks look to improve their record on this home court to 3-1-0. The game also marks the return of Macklin Celebrini to the Sharks' lineup after missing twelve games with a hip injury.

Warsofsky said he and Walman discussed the decision but would not elaborate to reporters on why he was making a change.

“I’m sure he’s frustrated. “I think everyone wants to play.” Warsofsky said. “Klim (Kostin) and Givani (Smith) would say the same thing

“This message will be between (Walman) and me.”

Walman was injured by a body check from Canucks forward Brock Boeser late in the first period on Saturday when he crashed shoulder-first into the boards to the left of the Sharks' net. Walman left the ice and returned to the Sharks' locker room, but returned to the bench shortly after the start of the second period.

Walman, who finished with 20:35 minutes of ice time on Saturday, took part in practice on Monday. Forwards Klim Kostin and Givani Smith also will be ruled out against the Blue Jackets, who have lost three of their last five games before Tuesday.

“I'm a competitor and I want to play, but it's a coach's decision,” Walman said Tuesday morning. “I will respect the conversation we had. I wouldn't say it has nothing to do with the injury. I don't know if (Warsofsky) talked about it, but of course without that I wouldn't be in this position.

“I was on the ice for practice (Monday) hoping to play. But it's a coach's decision. I feel good about my game and am a competitor. I want to be out there.”

Warsofsky's decision may have been influenced by Walman's play in the third period of Saturday's game, particularly the game-winning goal.

With the Sharks cornered, Walman and Canucks forward Pius Suter battled near the San Jose goal. With the puck in the corner, Suter pulled back a bit to give Walman some space, took a pass from Conor Garland up the middle and fired a shot that beat goalie Mackenzie Blackwood high on the glove side.

The goal came with 26 seconds left and helped end the Sharks' three-game winning streak.

After the game, Walman took ownership of the mistake and said he needed to move closer to Suter, a point he reiterated Tuesday.

“I stand by the things I feel responsible for, and that’s always been the case,” Walman said. “I was always hard on myself and tried to do my best. If it shows something. It just shows that I want to win.

“I feel like I'm competitive enough to handle certain things and that's why I always take responsibility for things. It makes me better, makes everyone around me better and therefore makes the team better.”

Warsosfsky's decision to use a strong and productive player like Walman against the Blue Jackets can be viewed as the biggest and perhaps most controversial of his short tenure as Sharks head coach. But it shows that he will not allow such mistakes if that was actually part of his thinking.

Walman certainly hopes to return to the lineup soon. The Sharks host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday and then begin a four-game road trip against teams from the Metropolitan Division.

“(Warsofsky) knows how much I want to be out there, and I think the guys in the locker room know it too when they talk to them,” Walman said. “I just want to be out there and it is what it is; Just get back out there right now.”

Please check back for updates on this story.

Originally published: November 5, 2024 at 12:26 pm PST