Not every prospect you draft will play for your team.
Vegas Golden Knights fans have learned this the hard way, as they often ship prospects to ensure they get all their chips in at the trade deadline. However, Detroit Red Wings fans are becoming more and more accustomed to this.
This is mainly due to the volume of prospects in the organization. Sometimes those prospects emerge and rise through the ranks; sometimes they are traded, and sometimes they disappear into oblivion.
A former Red Wings prospect has found a new team. Alec Regula was claimed off waivers by the Edmonton Oilers yesterday.
So what’s the problem?
For starters, he was a third-round draft pick in the 2018 draft. The 67th overall selection played junior hockey with the OHL’s famed organization, the London Knights.
Despite playing a loaded blueline with offensively gifted defensemen like Evan Bouchard and Adam Boqvist, Regula suffered an injury that limited him to 22 games that year.
The #Oil squirting have claimed defenseman Alec Regula off waivers from Boston. The righty blueliner, selected 67th overall by Detroit in 2018, has made 22 career appearances @NHL single-goal matches. pic.twitter.com/zX9uaDcIci
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 11, 2024
The 2018 draft class was nothing to write home about for the Red Wings. Of the ten players selected, only Jonatan Berggren and Joe Veleno have played significant games in the NHL.
Regula was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in October 2019. He played with that organization for three years before being part of the Taylor Hall trade with the Boston Bruins.
It remains to be seen where Regula fits in the Oilers organization. But at least he will get a fresh start with a new organization.
Not every prospect you draft will play for your team, but they can still play elsewhere.
Bookmark the Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay up to date with the latest news, game day coverage and player features.
Related: Red Wings hit the jackpot with quality defenseman
The puzzling Red Wings trade looks worse today
Two budding stars brighten red wings. Gloomy picture
Red Wings want to “bring it all together” in Philadelphia
The Red Wings most valuable player is crystal clear
Former Red Wings goalie on the shelf
Red Wings hit the jackpot with a quality defenseman
Related: Former Red Wings Forward Continues Major Decline
