Penguins Pass on Big Right-handed Defenseman
A big, young right-handed defenseman would seem to fill a need for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they passed on one Wednesday when they did not put in a waivers claim on Alec Regula.
Regula was placed on waivers Tuesday by the Boston Bruins, apparently with the intention of assigning him to the American Hockey League if he cleared. However, the Edmonton Oilers claimed the 6-foot-4, 210-pound 24-year-old. Given the waivers claim rules based on priority given to teams in reverse standings order, a claim by the Penguins would have trumped one by Edmonton, meaning the Penguins did not attempt to claim Regula.
Regula, a third-round draft pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2018, had missed training camp and all of the season so far because of an injury. The Bruins activated him Tuesday and placed him on waivers.
He played in 22 NHL games, all with the Chicago Blackhawks between 2020-21 and 2022-23, and scored one goal. Last season with Providence of the AHL, he scored four goals and 26 points in 55 games.
His scouting report from Sportsforecaster indicates he can also skate well:
“The big, raw right-shooting defenseman had spectacular offensive numbers in his final junior season and has shown indications that he can produce points at the NHL level, especially as he continues to fill out in his 20s. Skates well for a huge defenseman and is always willing to jump up into the play.”
The Penguins have been using a couple of defensemen on their off-side this season, including Ryan Shea and Matt Grzelcyck.
Categorized:Penguins
Six years younger and $2M less than Grezelcyk, should have done it.
Brian, how long have you been scouting this guy? 3 teams in a handful of years? Hmmmm……the problem with MG is he was a bottom pair guy in Boston , and the pens put him on the top 2 pairs, with partners that play rouge…….. sounds like a difficult transition.
MG was not a bottom pair guy in Boston the entire time. He was getting top 4 until really last year, where he got played less, scratched, etc. he was on a decline and for some reason Dubas thought he could be saved and probably outspent everyone to get him. He has proven he drags everyone down being in the ice though….
This has Sullivan written all over it.
Excellent work digging this one up to the light! Our Penguins could surely use a kid like this.
Not picking this kid off waivers proves KD has no intention on improving the team this year.
Far be it for the Pens to bring in badly needed size. But Teflon Mike will continue to whine about not being physical enough and not being hard to play against. The words don’t match this FO’s actions. Send RD St Ivany down, but play a weak Grizz on his off side. Keep scratching Jesse P, the biggest and most physical forward, but keep playing midget finesse skaters who bring little to the table. The entire organization from top to bottom is soft…physically and mentally…like wet Kleenex.
Hey Sam / TOR
I couldn’t agree more. Sullivan hates anyone that will protect our stars, and
young players. Dubas needs to issue Sully an ultimatum.
I don’t understand why people think everyone else’s castoffs are future all stars for us. Two other teams have let him go and a number of others passed on him in this waiver. Yes, I also want big, mobile, hard-hitting d-men, but so does everyone else out there. Looks like this guy has more negatives than positives to his game.
What about the excellent tutelage
… he would… receive… here… ah, nevermind. 🙂
LMAO
Yeah, Sully sure loves to coach big physical D men.
Right on Jeff.
Why? 1) Regula is only 24, 6′-4″, 211lbs 2) Boston has McAvoy and Carlo on the RHD, who Regula was not going to pass and Andrew Peeke, who Regula may have better offensive upside than but Peeke is a physical beast averaging 174 hits/82 GP and 166 Blk/82 GP. So, Regula more than likely got caught up in a numbers game. Chicago only traded Boston because they got Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno in the deal to play along side Bedard – at the time that would have been considered a pretty high price for Regula. Detroit got what could… Read more »
He’s a “defensive” defenseman. Surely one for which the Penguins are lacking!
You obviously didn’t understand what Joe is saying so I’ll make it simple for you: He’s not mobile and coming off a KNEE INJURY. Does that answer your question or would you like me to break this down even further so that even the simplest of people can understand?
If he played on one skate he would be better than what we have!
The dude is not worth it and as a matter of fact people within Edmonton are confused as to why they claimed a guy coming a knee injury and who has no mobility.
Our Blueline plays like every one has a knee(s) injury!!!
I’ll keep it simple for you, 1) Knee surgeries do not end careers, particularly in a 24 year old.. 2) The professional scouting report on Regula is as follows, The big, raw right-shooting defenseman had spectacular offensive numbers in his final junior season and has shown indications that he can produce points at the NHL level, especially as he continues to fill out in his 20s. Skates well for a huge defenseman and is always willing to jump up into the play. He has solid playmaking skills and a good shot. Long Range Potential: Promising offensive defenseman. The eye test backs… Read more »
Knee injuries end careers bro. Cam Neely, Pavel Bure…
Glen
Neely and Bure played in the NHL 13 & 12 seasons
respectfully. I’m guessing neither of the two were
in their early twenties?????
He doesn’t have to be an all star to be an improvement over what we currently have. So why not give it a shot?
Because, as I mentioned above, KD has no intention on improving the team this year. He’s passed on trades and now passed on a “freebie”. He’s wants a top 8 draft pick and won’t do what’s needed to make this team a playoff team.
Sullivan hates anyone with size that can skate.
He was good enough for one the SC favorites, the Oilers, they picked him up.
He’s not a MS type defenseman
The last physical player the Pens had was Ryan Reaves and Sullivan didn’t play him, so what makes you think that he would want a young RHD with size and reach. I’m not saying Ragula is an allstar, but, sometimes all is needed is a change in scenery. We’ll keep playing our undersized players and see how it goes !! What a joke.
Showing my age here, does Warren Young ring a bell?
MS is stale and the NHL’s current style has passed him by.
He is stubborn and continues to go with small bodies who do
not bang, hit and play a tough brand of hockey.
NOBODY IS AFRAID to play the Pens for the LAST 7 years.
They have major issues from top to bottom.
What exactly will using Big Bodied guys actually do? Don’t give me they will defend Sid and Geno cause that’s BS and everybody knows it. Let me pose this question to anyone out there: Say the Pens had a Big Physical guy and retaliates for a “cheap shot” done by the other team whose getting penalized: The other Team or the Pens?
Vittorio – You obviously never put on a pair of skates. Just having a player like that on the bench gives your skill players the confidence to do there thing on the ice. I remember a video of Crosby talking to Sestito’s son and telling him he felt 3 inches taller with his Dad on the bench. It’s not about fighting but when you have a player that will do that for his teammates in create’s a strong bond. Not sure if you were at the game when St.Ivany stepped in for Crosby – not only was it most enthusiastic… Read more »
Valuable are you kidding me. You danced around my question and decided to post the value of having a Big D-Man. The opposition wants the Pens to retaliate cause the opposition knows the refs won’t punish them but rather punish the Pens. My Attitude has not changed ‘You want beat these guys do it on the scoreboard”. Win the freaking game.
Which is, let’s identify a MS defenseman…one who cannot, refuses to play defense!!!
Not surprised Dubas did not try or obtain him.
The plan is to finish at bottom of the division
and miss the playoffs inorder to draft higher
and get younger.
Regula could have stepped in and started
in the 3rd pairing.
Get used to a long road of sub 500.
record for years to come.
Dude is not mobile and coming a knee injury so what exactly is he going to provide? Don’t use the same lame excuse I’ve heard over and over again.
Yep and it sure looks like the players have figured this out as well. Certainly explains why they are mostly just going thru the motions (no heart) most games.
Stupid. They want to lose, I guess.
Big, slow and non physical. He and Graves would make a great pairing.
Who gets to go to WBS? Maybe someone would be desperate enough to claim Graves…
LMAO. Anybody surprised? What a joke. Cry about not being physical and pass on physical. He will be crunching Pens in EDM next year!
I at first looked at the size and thought that this is what they need.But nowhere in the article does it say this guy plays physical.It says he’s always willing to jump into the play.Which to me means odd man rushes galore
Sometimes a person has to do a little leg work on their own. Looking at Regula’s limited NHL career (parts of 3 seasons) he is averaging 5.37 Hits/60 5-on-5. Comparing that to the players still on this roster, over the last 3 seasons their Hits/60 5-on-5 are Letang – 5.36 Pettersson – 4.58 Graves – 4.03 Shea – 2.93 Grzelcyk – 1.94 Karlsson – 1.26 Pickering – 1.06 His average would put him at the top of that list. Granted St. Ivany would top them all at 8.88, but he is in WBS right now. Furthermore, at 211lbs, one hit… Read more »
While it may seem like adding depth to the defense in any way is important, i am not going to question why Dubas passed on this guy. The right side defense is full at the moment. The deficiencies are all on the left side.
I won’t argue with you over the fact that Grzelcyk, Graves, and Shea may be the biggest part of the problem with the Pens, but Letang is 37 and Karlsson 34, their days are numbered. Regula is 24, he still has about three years until he enters his prime. At that time Letang will be 40 and entering the final year of his contract while will be Karlsson 37 and will have gone UFA the year prior to Regula entering his prime. Beyond Letang and Karlsson there is a whole lot of question marks and it becomes a numbers game;… Read more »
In terms of playing time right now, Regula probably wouldn’t get much ice time. I do agree that he would have been worth taking a chance on. The team could have waived one of the lefties. That doesn’t seem to be part of their current strategy 🤷🏻♂️
There’s an opening at 3 RD?
They would have to waive someone to fit him on the roster. They are apparently unwilling to do that at the moment.
They couldn’t do that because everyone of the Dmen, L or R are irreplaceable. 🤣
Regula was a no risk possible potential decent player. 60% of the Penguins roster is made up of the same type players. Sullivan at an earlier presser this week. “We have to get tougher and more physical on our end of the ice.” Which of course was then proceeded by me laughing and spitting my beer everywhere especially since Lizotte who is a 170lb winger seems to try to be the physical player most nights. Graves only until recently discovered he’s a very large guy and can throw a check on occasions but otherwise is a huge wimp. Acciari and… Read more »
It’s a moot point now. This would have been a freebie. Give the guy a try, and if he doesn’t pan out, waive him. If he sticks, he’s 24 and could help for the next 4-5 years. RHD are desirable. Some thought Jesse was washed up after double hip surgery…
Spot on, but some people apparently don’t get that simple logic.
Sullivan saw his age and told management to absolutely not claim him. Now if he was 34…
Any idea how ridiculous that notion is?
Aaron was just trying to make a point.