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Blackhawks trade Brendan Perlini for Alec Regula |
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The Brendan Perlini era is over in Chicago.
It's too bad that he didn't work out for the Blackhawks. On paper, the former 1st-rounder looked like he could really thrive with a change of scenery.
Even going back to his time with the Coyotes, Perlini passed the eye test. He is big, fast and has a great shot. However, his inconsistency proved to be his downfall with Jeremy Colliton and his staff.
After a long (and unnecessary) contract negotiation that netted Perlini and his agent a 1-year / 874k deal, the 23-year old winger finds himself moving to Detroit.
There were rumours that Stan Bowman was looking to trade Perlini even going back to the trade deadline last year. Then, after the public announcement that the Blackhawks and agent, Darren Ferris were looking to find a new address Brendan, it was only a matter of time that he would be moved.
On Monday night, the Blackhawks announced the official trade – Brendan Perlini to Detroit for 2018 third-round pick Alec Regula.
I wish Perlini all the best in Detroit. He seems like a good dude and if the Red Wings let him play through his inconsistencies, he could become a fine NHLer.
Who did the Blackhawks get in return?
Alec Regula, a big right-handed defenceman who is currently playing with the London Knights of the OHL.
He was a former teammate (and partner) of Adam Boqvist last year.
There's no doubt that the Blackhawks and specifically Brian Campbell were very familiar with Regula after spending so much time watching Boqvist last year.
Admittedly, I don't know much about Regula, so I connect with a new friend who knows him very well, hockey writer and independent scout, Sean Patrick Ryan of TheOilKnight.ca.
Have a read below for an Alec Regula scouting report:
Versatility
Alec Regula is a big, mobile, and smart 2-way defender with tremendous leadership skills. Despite being a right-handed shot, he has played the majority of his OHL career on the left side though he is more than capable of playing both. In 2017, he was Evan Bouchard's partner on the left side for most of the year. In 2018, he split time with Bouchard and Adam Boqvist in the first half of the season at LD. In 2019, he plays mainly with Ryan Merkley on the top pair in London again on the left side.
Regula is a big kid listed at 6'4", 207lbs (on Londonknights.com) but has surprising mobility for his size. He doesn't have the quickest feet but is agile enough to make guys miss. His straight-ahead speed is actually very good with those big, long strides. He also moves well side to side when defending and is an excellent skater backwards. He's the type of skater who is faster than he looks.
Regula has usually always been paired with a more offensive defenceman as his partner in London, but has sneaky good upside of his own. Last season, he was utilized a lot in the "bumper" position on the powerplay where he could use his big frame to screen goalies and create havoc in front of the net. This season, he continues to fill that role and has had great success with London as one of the top powerplay teams in the league.
Offense
Due to his very quick hands along with a very good shot and release, Regula has had a lot of offensive success recently. He's averaging a point per game because of his excellent positioning and good offensive instincts. The game really has slowed down for him over the last couple years, and he is extremely poised now with the puck in all situations. He is capable of running the powerplay from the point or as mentioned, play the bumper position in front of the net if need be.
His shot is very good as he gets good torque on it but he doesn't overshoot. He has a bit of a long but deliberate release that allows him to get a lot of pucks on net. His passing is also very good. He has the vision to see plays developing and is more than capable of delivering a pass right on the tape.
Hockey Sense
When he first came into the league, he struggled with turnovers, which was probably a confidence thing more than anything. Now, Regula rarely makes any glaring mistakes, as his hockey sense appears to be very high. He makes plenty of good decisions and reads in both zones. On breakouts, his head is usually always up and he makes that good, crisp first pass. Defensively, he is one of the strongest defenders in the OHL without a doubt. He does a great job of boxing out defenders and he uses his long reach effectively to eliminate time and space. His head is usually on a swivel and he breaks up a lot of plays simply because of good reads. When pressured, Regula will often do misdirection fakes to shake opposing forecheckers. In the offensive zone, he does a very good job of changing angles to avoid having his shots blocked. It's rare after a Knights game you don't walk away without saying "what a smart play by Regula" a couple times at least. Smart, savvy & poised.
Leadership
One of the most unknown qualities about Alec Regula is his tremendous leadership ability. He has publicly stated in many interviews that he takes pride in being a leader. Instead of shunning rookies or younger players, he looks to embrace them and be a mentor to them if and when needed. On the ice, he'll be the first guy to come in and defend a teammate. His coaches and teammates love him, and the London fans appreciate him for everything he brings to the table. A high character person and player who has all the intangibles teams look for in a player. A pro on and off the ice.
NHL Projection
There's no doubt Alec Regula has all the tools to be an NHL'er. He's not flashy or dynamic he is just as solid as it comes. He's smart, reliable, works hard and continues to get better in all facets of the game. While probably not a top pair defenceman at the NHL level, he could easily be a really good 2nd pair defenceman eventually. He's the type of player all winning teams have – a leader on and off the ice.
By Sean Patrick Ryan of TheOilKnight.ca
@theOilKnight on Twitter
A few Alec Regula highlights:
https://youtu.be/EyBDseSITZ4
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Wow… a round of applause for my new friend, Sean for that breakdown.
Please give him a follow on Twitter for all your Regula updates. This could end being another sneaky good trade for Stan Bowman – although we will have to wait to see how Regula progresses at a pro level.
Also, one thing to note, Regula is not currently under contract. The Blackhawks will need to get him signed to an entry-level deal by the summer of 2020.
I will see if I can bug Sean later on in the season to check in on Regula's season in London.
See ya out there!
TC
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Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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