Jake Walman will play against Wild; Sharks head coach clarifies the reason for scratching the top defender

San Jose Sharks defenseman Jake Walman will return to the lineup against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday after being a healthy scratch for a “coach’s decision.”

Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky clarified the benching of his No. 1 defenseman, saying it wasn’t for his play on the ice.

“Jake didn’t play because of (a) hockey game. There was nothing to do with that,” Warsofsky said. “It was something we will keep in-house.”

Walman leads the Sharks defenseman in points with nine, including seven in his last four games. The head coach said there have been conversations in the locker room about players coming out of the lineup if they don’t help the team win, regardless of their experience in the league.

“There’s definitely (been) conversations we’ve had with guys that it doesn’t matter if you’re a first-year guy or a 12-year pro, if you’re struggling and you’re costing us hockey games, you we’re getting out of line , but Jakes was not that scenario,” Warsofsky said.

Related: Sharks Scratching Top Defenseman Against Blue Jackets

Walman could not be asked about what happened as the opportunity to speak with players had already ended before Warsofsky’s comments.

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