10 Tidbits on new Kings dman Robyn Regehr

The Kings have acquired rugged defenseman Robyn Regehr (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) from Buffalo for two second round draft picks, coming in 2014 and 2015.  Through 29 games with the Sabres this season, he’s posted zero goals and two assists. Regehr is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, as he’s playing out the final year of a five-year contract he originally signed with the Calgary Flames in the summer of 2008 – yes, when Darryl Sutter was the General Manager there.

Here are 10 Tidbits on LA’s newest blueliner…

– Was a first round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche (19th overall) in 1998. Never made it to Denver though, was instead traded to Calgary while he was still a member of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. The 1999 Blazers lost the WHL championship to the Calgary Hitmen – a feeling Regehr would experience again in the NHL a few years later. Was also teammates with former Kings’ forwards Kyle Calder and Jared Aulin during his final year in Kamloops.

– The trade that brought him to Calgary involved the Flames sending Theo Fleury and Chris Dingman to the Avs.

– Born in Recife, Brazil on Apr 19 1980. That’s the same birthday as Randy Carlyle and Martin Havlat.

– Regehr is only the second NHL player born in Brazil. Goalie Mike Greenlay played two games with the Edmonton Oilers during the 1989-90 season.

– Played 10 seasons with the Calgary Flames, including the Darryl Sutter coached team that went to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. His younger brother Richie also played with him in Calgary for a very brief time.  Richie also played for the AEG-owned Polar Bears in Germany.

– Stats: Has recorded 170 points (30 goals, 140 assists) in 932 NHL games. Has also played at least 75 regular season games in each of the last six seasons, as well as in nine of the last ten overall.

– Was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – given to a player demonstrating perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey – while just 19 years (youngest in NHL history) following his NHL debut only four months after being involved in a head-on auto collision, where he broke both of his legs.

– Milestones: First NHL game was vs. Ottawa in October 1999. First NHL assist was against Florida a few nights later and his first NHL goal came vs. San Jose on November 10th of the same year.

– Won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 1999 World Junior tournament and a gold medal with Canada at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. The 1999 junior team featured Simon Gagne, Roberto Luongo and Brenden Morrow. At the World Cup he was part of a team that included Rob Blake, Shane Doan and Ryan Smyth.

– In his career he’s racked up 34 penalty minutes in 39 games vs. Los Angeles. He also had two goals and four assists in those contests.

With the absence of Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene on the blueline, LA needed an experienced stay-at-home defenseman if they had any hopes of successfully defending their title. Now, with the addition of Regehr, the Kings are in a much better position than they were yesterday.

Because the trade is still contingent on Regehr passing a physical though, Dean Lombardi said – “We will withhold comment on the trade until after the medical exam is completed,”

Form a roster perspective, the deal would put the Kings one over the limit.  However, forward Dustin Penner has been placed on IR, retroactive to March 31.

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