Yahoo Sports Oilers Have Replacement If Bouchard Is Out
EDMONTON -- You hate to see a guy go down.
Last night, the Edmonton Oilers watched with bated breath as star defender Evan Bouchard was the victim of an unnecessary hit from Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman.
Kris Knoblauch updated the press present in Minnesota about his status.
"No, I don't," Knoblauch revealed. "We're going to fly home, get it checked out. Hopefully, it's something minor. Probably won't be able to tell until tomorrow."
Frank Seravalli reported on X that "Bouchard had a slight limp post-game and soreness but otherwise seemed to avoid the worst of it."
If the Oilers need to spend any time without their star defender, they have someone on their roster who can hold down the fort until he returns.
New Oilers Addition Can Step In
Alec Regula was recently claimed off waivers and joined the team at yesterday's morning skate in Minnesota. The 6-foot-4 defender hasn't played yet this season.
However, Regula has 22 games of NHL experience to draw on. Across three seasons spent with the Chicago Blackhawks, he recorded one point and averaged 16:54 of ice time.
Ty Emberson and Troy Stecher are the other defenders playing the right side. Between those three, they could take enough minutes to cover for a potentially injured Bouchard.
Not His First Time Stepping Up In Bouchard Absence
Bouchard and Regula used to be teammates while playing for the London Knights of the OHL. They primarily played as a pairing (with Regula on the left side), but there was a stretch where he filled the void left by Bouchard.
In the 2019-20 season, Bouchard was no longer playing in the OHL and had graduated to playing with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. This left Regula in Bouchard's shoes, and he did not disappoint.
He scored 27 goals that season, up from 11 and seven the previous two years. His 60 points in 56 games were a career-high, one that he hasn't been able to replicate in any other league since.
One of the new defender's strengths is moving the puck.
"I think I can help the team," Regula said in a scrum yesterday. "(I can) move the puck, get the puck into the hands of some of the special players they have there."
The 24-year-old has all the tools to fill in if Bouchard misses time. He may not be the offensive force that Bouchard is, but he can hold down the fort while Bouchard gets healthy. If not, he can slowly get acclimated.
But if Bouchard is injured, he may become a "Regula" in the Oilers' lineup.
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