Steve Yzerman Fumbled Jake Walman, Now Competing in the Stanley Cup Finals

For reasons unknown to us, Steve Yzerman will never elaborate on the decision to remove defenseman Jake Walman from the team's roster.

In fact, as a salary cap dump, he attached a draft pick to a rebuilding team in order to make the move quick and painless ( for the Red Wings). Which is still puzzling to this day, cause he's refused to move off of other draft picks in order to secure top NHL talent.

Nevertheless, Walman has found himself a perfect fit in the Edmonton Oilers lineup, now poised to take on the Florida Panthers for a second time in the Stanley Cup finals.

And the puck-moving, griddy-dancing defenseman will be in tow. Something Steve Yzerman can't say about any Red Wings at the moment, considering they couldn't clinch a wild card spot in the playoffs.

While we expect GM Stan Bowman to make bad decisions as a GM, trading for Walman was one of his smarter moves, as he got a solid two-way defenseman out of the deal.

Walman's been excellent in transition play, starting the breakout with ease and dishing the puck to Oilers' top talent, like Zach Hyman, Leon Draisaitl, and Connor McDavid.

The Red Wings have also missed his physicality on the ice, as he's dished out 24 hits in 16 games with the Oilers. He's also unafraid of taking it to his opponents and keeping the crease clear for Calvin Pickard and Stuart Skinner.

He's also willing to sacrifice his body, and blocked 43 shots, another trait that the Red Wings are sorely lacking at the moment.

All because it seems more or less that Yzerman has had a personal grudge, or someone in the Red Wings might have (this is unconfirmed, and pure speculation) an issue with him.

As we've asked before, did he kick someone's dog?

Regardless, Walman will griddy into the Stanley Cup finals on June 4th, and the Red Wings are missing key components in the lineup.