Mike Babcock sits down with Jake Walman again as Oilers sort it out

Mike Babcock says he met with Jake Walman again Friday and went through "the whole process," as the Oilers defenseman's role keeps shrinking.

The Oilers are 9-2-2 and sit first in the Pacific Division, so the standings aren't the problem. The problem is a $7,000,000 defenseman who has become a lineup question nine games into the season.

Walman has played 9 games this season. He has no goals, one assist and a -7 rating, which is the worst number on any Edmonton skater we have in front of us.

Babcock's comments came Friday, the same day Walman skated at practice without a regular partner. Our earlier report on Jake Walman possibly sitting again laid out how thin the margin looks for Saturday.

Edmonton plays at the Islanders on Saturday, October 31. The Oilers are 5-0-0 on the road this season, so Babcock has little reason to rush a change.

That cuts both ways. A coach with a winning team can afford to be patient, but he can also afford to bench a struggling defenseman without anyone blinking.

Here is how Menzies relayed what Babcock said about the conversation.

Babcock's message to Walman and what it means for the blue line

Babcock told reporters, per Michael Menzies, that Walman sat down with him again and they went through the whole process. Babcock then started to explain a point he has made to his own kids over the years.

Michael Menzies posted Babcock's comments, including the coach saying "he sits down and meets with me again here today."

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The post cuts off before Babcock finishes the thought, so the full message is still unknown. What is known is that this was a second sit-down, and the coach is clearly willing to talk it through in public.

The table above shows how little Walman has produced. He has one point in nine games, and his career mark of 112 points in 329 games makes this start look even slimmer.

Edmonton's 56 goals for and 43 against give the team a +13 differential. Walman's -7 sits uncomfortably next to that, and it is hard to see Babcock ignoring it for long.

The win over Calgary on Wednesday, 4-0, came while the Oilers were already sorting out their wing depth. The blue line is the next spot where Babcock may have to make a call.

Does Walman play at Nassau Coliseum Saturday, or does the coach send a message by leaving him out? That answer will say a lot about how long this conversation lasts.

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