You’ll often hear NHL commentators talk about “gritty” players, but for Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman, it’s about “the Griddy.”

Walman has gone viral across hockey social media on multiple occasions for his goal celebrations, which have twice seen his overtime game-winners end with viral dance sensation “The Griddy.”

Jake Walman called game pic.twitter.com/ha7IfbKWpN

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) December 3, 2023

Walman has been a stalwart in analytics circles for his defensive proficiency since a trade brought him to the Red Wings in 2022. He’s begun to find some more offense touch as he and partner Moritz Seider continue to build chemistry and for former Toronto Junior Canadiens assistant coach Kevin Forrest, that comes as no surprise.

“I always felt, and it’s not to discredit his defensive game, but I always felt like his offense was probably his biggest strength as a defenseman, but at the same time his defensive game never left you wanting more or risking defensive play for offense,” Forrest said of the blueliner’s scoring.

In his lone OJHL season, Walman finished third in team scoring and 13th in the league for defensive scoring, contributing seven goals and 33 points in 43 games. A heavy, accurate shot helped him create havoc in the offensive zone. That same shot has Walman tied for tenth in defensive goals just over a quarter through the NHL season along with the tenth most shots registered above 90 mph.

Walman spent only a single OJHL season with Forrest, who oversaw the defense as an assistant coach with the Junior Canadiens in 2013-14. But their time together saw Walman earn several honors. The nephew and namesake of former middleweight boxing champion of the world and Jake “Raging Bull” LaMotta would be named OJHL Rookie of the Year, CJHL Top Rookie, and earn the OJHL and CJHL Top Prospect Awards.

“So many people say now it starts with being a good person. That’s when you have a chance at being a good pro and that was Jake at an early age. He was always mature, he always looked you in the eye and as naturally talented as he was, at that level, he was always open to coaching,” said Forrest, who is now the head coach for the Wilfrid Laurier University men’s hockey team.

Jake Walman File

• Team (League): Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL)
• Years: 2013-14
• Stats: 43 GP, 7-26--33, 87 PIM
• Honors: CJHL Top Prospect; CJHL Top Rookie; OHA Top Prospect; OJHL Rookie Of The Year; OJHL Top Prospect; OJHL First-Team All Prospect
• College: Providence 
• NHL Teams: St. Louis Blues; Detroit Red Wings

These were among the qualities that saw Walman’s name get called on the draft floor in 2014 as a third-round, 82nd overall pick of the St. Louis Blues.

JRC ALUMNI JAKE WALMAN 🔥🔥 https://t.co/owhIWncj6o

— Toronto Jr.A Canadiens (@OJHLJrCanadiens) December 3, 2023

His game continued to develop over three years at Providence College, beginning with a 14-point (1 G, 13 A) rookie season during which he suited up for all 41 games as the Friars won their first NCAA title. Walman would add another 20 goals and 53 points in 66 games over his next two seasons, twice earning All-America honors.

A choice to forgo his senior season and sign with the Blues in 2017, Walman’s career trajectory continued on an exciting path. He’d have the chance to earn a spot with the team ahead of the 2017-18 season, but joining a team just two years away from a Stanley Cup proved difficult. After parts of four seasons in the AHL with both modest offensive and defensive stats, Walman finally earned his call up to the big club in St. Louis.

He averaged 13 minutes per game during his 57-game career spanning two seasons in St. Louis and was in and out of the lineup. When St. Louis made a trade deadline acquisition for defenseman Nick Leddy from Detroit in 2022, Walman was sent the other way along with forward Oskar Sundqvist and a 2023 second-round pick later used to draft Andrew Gibson.

Even after acquiring him in a trade and seeing his encouraging development for a full season in Detroit alongside franchise defenseman and 2022 Rookie of the Year, Moritz Seider, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman admitted he wasn’t certain what he was getting.

“I would love to tell you that, ‘Hey, I knew he was going to be this good, I knew it all along, I could see it.' That wasn’t the case at all,” Yzerman said back in March (via mlive.com). “I saw him play at Providence, he was a talented guy, good college player, and then I saw him play in the American League. We made a trade with St. Louis last year and he hadn’t played that much in the NHL, so truthfully, we really didn’t know.”

B̶o̶b̶b̶l̶e̶h̶e̶a̶d̶... GRIDDY-HEAD! 🕺😏

Get yours 1/21 » https://t.co/4YVKi0srXh
First 7,500 fans | @littlecaesars pic.twitter.com/Q68t9hx9Yy

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 5, 2023

Now, as Walman continues to settle into his new home and give the rebuilding team stable defense alongside Seider, both Yzerman and Red Wings fans alike know what they have.

“Maybe he’s now with a team that’s willing to kind of give him a longer leash so to speak and get more involved offensively because he’s always had the natural talent for it,” Forrest said.

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Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @Jacob_Messing.