Editor's note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky didn’t want to get into why he’s scratching Jake Walman.
Walman didn’t want to talk much about it either.
“Coach’s decision, I’ll leave it at that,” Warsofsky said before the Sharks’ Tuesday night contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“My initial reaction is I’m a competitor and I want to play, but it’s coach’s decision, I’ll respect the conversation that we had,” Walman said. “He’s the coach, in the end, even if I’m not happy about not being out there, it’s respecting the decision, and just gonna be better for it in the end and come back stronger and ready to go, ready to be a leader.”
“I’m sure he’s frustrated. I think everyone wants to play,” Warsofsky said. “That message is gonna be between him and I.”
Walman, San Jose's No. 2 defenseman so far this season — Cody Ceci has averaged exactly one second more per game at 22:43 — did not have his best effort on Saturday night in a 3-2 last-minute loss to the Vancouver Canucks, ending up on the wrong side of two goals against.
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