Edmonton Oilers made another move on the waiver wire on Wednesday, claiming big defender Alec Regula from the Boston Bruins.
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Coming off a knee injury that has delayed the start of his season, the 24-year-old right shot rearguard was placed on waivers by the Bruins in the expectation that he would resume play with the Providence Bruins, with whom he excelled in 2023-24. But Stan Bowman had other ideas.
Bowman knows the player, having previously acquired him in the fall of 2019 (in a trade for then-future Oiler Brendan Perlini) back when he worked for Chicago Blackhawks. He broke into the professional ranks when the AHL resumed play for the COVID-shortened season of 2021, and made his NHL debut late that same season. He split time between Rockford and Chicago the two seasons that followed, mostly the former.
Originally a third-round pick by Detroit from London Kinghts in 2018, Regula played two junior seasons on the same defence corps as Evan Bouchard .before seemingly taking on the departed Bouchard’s powerplay role in 2019-20 (27 goals!). Unconfirmed reports suggest the two were partnered up at times, meaning one of them played on his weak (left) side, useful information for the local NHL squad which may be gathering a glut of RHD.
The 6’4, 211 lb. blueliner was traded to the Boston organization last season, signed a one-year two-way deal and enjoyed a terrific season with Providence, leading the entire league in plus/minus at +36.
In Edmonton he comes on board as the 23rd roster player and the addition of his (NHL-minimum) salary will return the team to LTIR status, meaning no cap accrual for the short term. Remains to be seen whether Oilers see him as compeition for current #7 man Travis Dermott or a replacement for him. Tomorrow’s waiver wire may well contain the answer to that burning question.
More to come.