Boston Bruins surprisingly place 24-year-old defenseman on waivers

Waiver activity in the NHL has been fairly quiet in terms of talented young players as of late, but on Tuesday the Boston Bruins decided to shake things up with a surprising move.

As first reported by top Insider Elliotte Friedman, the Bruins are placing 24-year-old Alec Regula on waivers after landing him last season, with no games played thus far at the NHL level in 2024/25.

With the Providence Bruins, however, the talented defenseman thrived a year ago, posting 4 goals and 26 points in 55 games played, showing that he can produce at the professional level if given the chance.

The former third-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings hasn't been able to catch on at the NHL level thus far, with just one goal scored in 22 games played for the Chicago Blackhawks between 2020 and 2023.

With the London Knights, Regula finished his final campaign with 60 points in 56 games played, and at 6-foot-4, if he can stay healthy he could be an NHL regular one day.

At this point, it appears the injuries are the only thing holding him back, as it's the reason he's yet to play an NHL game this season, but according to Bruins fans on social media, he should be back with the team once he's 100% fit and ready to go.

However, passing waivers aren't a guarantee, as Regula could be a great depth piece for any team that needs help on the right side, and for the Bruins to lose him in this way would be a bad break.

At 24 years of age, some may have given up on this player, but with the combination of great size and skill, there's no doubt that if he can get healthy and spend time on the ice at the NHL level, he could be a solid contributor.