Insider names Oilers defenceman in trouble, could lose his roster spot

The Oilers have seen the emergence of Alec Regula as an NHL level talent early this season, and could potentially be a perfect fit as their 3rd pair defenceman. However, that'll put Emberson's job at risk.

According to an update from Oilers insider Jason Gregor, Ty Emberson is the defenceman most likely to lose his place in the lineup now that Regula has earned his place.

The Oilers have three third-pairing right shot defenceman on their roster at the moment with Regula, Emberson, and Stecher.

Based on their skillsets, Regula seems played to take the full time job in the bottom pair. He's the biggest defenceman of the three which is an asset itself, but he's also the best skater and puck mover too.

The Oilers should keep one more of these defenders to be their 7th defender through the season, and Stecher may be best suited for that role. The veteran Stecher took playoff minutes over Emberson last year, but there's one crucial reason why Stecher's more likely to stay.

Stecher makes only $788K in salary this year, while Emberson makes $1.3M for the next two years. If the Oilers could pick one solely on cap flexibility, the clear choice is Stecher.

If the Oilers make a trade to clear up some salary cap space soon, it could be Ty Emberson departing the team.