Who Will Win Edmonton’s 2nd Pair Defense Spot? | Ryan Shea vs. Jake Walman

Nick Zararis breaks down the major $11 million defensive puzzle facing the Edmonton Oilers heading into the upcoming season: who earns the left-side spot on the second pair alongside Connor Murphy? On this episode of Locked On Oilers, we take a deep dive into the underlying metrics, transition profiles, and career trajectories of two unconventional late bloomers: free-agent signee Ryan Shea and veteran blue-liner Jake Walman. Both defensemen took non-traditional routes through college hockey and extended AHL stints before establishing themselves in the NHL. Shea brings a strong possession and exit profile from his breakout campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he put up impressive goal-share numbers despite non-elite matchups. Walman offers dynamic high-end transition play, carrying exits, and offensive upside, but questions remain regarding his net-front defense and injury history. Nick walks through the statistical cases for both players, evaluating how each profile fits next to Connor Murphy's shutdown style and how Edmonton's revamped bottom-six forward group impacts these defensive pairings. Ultimately, contract value and organizational equity give one candidate the early edge to start the season on the second unit 06:17 Evaluating Oilers' risky defense deals 07:43 Discussing Penguins' defensive lineup options 10:58 Comparing Ryan Shea and Jake Wallman 15:53 Penguins' goaltending and team performance 17:46 Ryan Shea's playing style 20:57 Jake Wallman's 2025 performance 25:52 Evaluating late bloomer NHL players 27:32 Analyzing Oilers' Options in Defense Who Will Win Edmonton’s 2nd Pair Defense Spot? | Ryan Shea vs. Jake Walman Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.