The Edmonton Oilers have a few problems that other teams wouldn’t mind. Having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as a one-two punch is a good start. Having an elite offensive blueliner like Evan Bouchard is another.
To that end, the Oilers are chock-full of NHL defensemen. One Oilers analyst has predicted that the team will lose Troy Stecher to waivers this upcoming season.
Troy Stecher at Risk of Hitting the Waiver Wire
The Oilers are teaming with NHL-calibre defenders heading into the 2025-26 season. The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell has identified this and predicts the team will lose Stecher to the waiver wire.
Mitchell sees Stecher’s competition as Ty Emberson and Alec Regula. He explains why the other two would be favored over Stecher.
“Ty Emberson’s acquisition cost a year ago (third-round pick and Cody Ceci), along with a solid first season in Edmonton, makes him a lock for the roster,” Mitchell predicted in his piece published on September 5. “Alec Regula was picked up on waivers last fall and didn’t get into any games due to injury. He can move the puck and make plays, plus his size (6-foot-4) will play well on an Oilers defence that can get overpowered at times.”
“That leaves a good NHL defenceman, Troy Stecher, as the possible waiver loss,” Mitchell continues. “He is undersized (5-foot-10) but had a strong season and played eight games in the postseason in the spring. It would be a significant loss for the team, which employed 11 defencemen last season.”
“Stecher is, at worst, No. 8 on the depth chart entering camp.”
Mitchell provided one caveat for this prediction, which was the health of the blueline heading into the regular season.
“An injury to one of the team’s top defenders might ease the pressure for opening night, but coach Kris Knoblauch will have a dilemma should everyone stay healthy.”
Oilers’ GM Has His Guys, and Stecher Isn’t One of Them
Stecher, 31, is a right-hand defender who can shoot the puck and isn’t afraid to be physical. He played a depth role in Edmonton last season, averaging 13:52 a game, the lowest of his career.
The fact of the matter is that Stan Bowman wasn’t the Oilers GM who acquired Stecher. He also wasn’t the one who offered him a contract extension. Regula and Emberson are both signed through till the end of the 2026-27 season, while Stecher is in the final year of his deal.
Emberson had a solid season for the Oilers, accumulating 13 points in 76 games. The 6-foot-2, 193 lb defender averaged 15:07 through the regular season, including 1:58 on the penalty kill, a niche he carved out for himself over the duration of the season.
As Mitchell stated in his article above, Regula was injured for the entirety of the season. However, Bowman has a history with him. The Detroit Red Wings initially drafted him, and Bowman traded for him during his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks.
So when Bowman claimed him off waivers from the Boston Bruins in December, he knew what he was getting. Unfortunately, Regula’s recovery from injury took longer than expected.
The Oilers know what they have in Stecher, and so do the fans. However, the current Oilers coaching staff hasn’t seen Regula in person. According to Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, some of his skill set intrigues the Oilers brass.
“According to the team source, Regula’s patience and poise with the puck and ability to pass it are the attributes that intrigue them,” Nugent-Bowman wrote on the day the Oilers claimed Regula. “The fact that he shoots right is a bonus.”
With training camp on the horizon, this will be one battle for Oilers fans to keep their eyes on.
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