The Edmonton Oilers are continuing to be active on the waiver wire this season with another claim. This time, they have added defender Alec Regula, claimed from the Boston Bruins.
https://x.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1866921134542717083?s=19
Regula, originally a Detroit Red Wings draft pick back in 2018, has 22 games played in the NHL (all with the Chicago Blackhawks) and has not played in the NHL since 2022–23.
Where does Alec Regula fit in the Oilers lineup?
Despite his name, Regula does not project to be a regular in Edmonton’s lineup. He is another name added to the growing list of depth defenders within the team’s system.
Troy Stecher and Ty Emberson have mostly locked down NHL roles while Travis Dermott, Josh Brown, Ronnie Attard, Connor Carrick and now Regula are all in the kinda-almost-maybe area of seeing NHL time, mostly on the right side.
None of them have particularly stood out. Brown was sent back down to the AHL immediately after a few mediocre games while Dermott has faded away after a strong preseason. The others have not seen an NHL call-up yet.
Most likely, Regula will be in the AHL. But in the case of injury or Dermott being waived, traded, or sent down, Regula will be another option to have in Edmonton.
He will add to Bakersfield’s defensive depth, nevertheless. And since right-shot defenders are hard to come by sometimes, having another in the system could prove valuable.
As a player, Regula has some potential offensively as a puck mover and playmaker, something that should work well in Edmonton’s system. Last season with the Providence Bruins, he had 22 assists and 26 points in 55 games. However, that has not yet translated to the NHL as he has one point (a goal) in 22 games.
Regula has size, as well, standing at 6’4″ and 211 pounds. Which means he could fill a physicality role as a sixth or seventh defender. Though he has never really averaged much more than a hit per game in his time in the NHL thus far.
Overall, this is a depth claim with confusing intentions and a fairly low potential ceiling. The needle has not moved, but maybe this is a small move that pays off somewhere in the organization. As Regula is just 24 years old, he still has time to grow and develop further.
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