A Thank You and Possible Farewell to Some Los Angeles Kings Heroes

Robyn Regehr

Not the most popular Kings player in all of the Kingdom but the easiest for me to say good-bye to as Regehr had recently announced his retirement after the Kings played their final game of the season. Arriving to the Kings well after his prime years, Regehr was a mean old school hard-nosed defensive stay at home beast of a defensemen. The kind with the never say die attitude, crushing hits and an inner toughness that is starting to become a rarity in hockey today. Regehr sacrificed his body in any way possible way he could, all in the name of winning a game. Now after his 15th and final NHL season, and with his 35th birthday coming up in a few days, his body was telling him that it couldn’t take it anymore.

To play the mean and aggressive defensive style like Regehr did meant he had to pay an ultimate price in the end, and he did. As a King, Regehr gave it his all. Sure he seemed slow and at times even lost, it was very obvious that he had lost a step (or four) but none of us can accuse the man of not caring about the good of the team, his teammates or about winning the Stanley Cup. To the best of his ability, or whatever what was left of it, Regehr left it all on the ice for the sake of the team. You have to admire him for that.

I’ll never forget the story Darryl Sutter told everyone about Regehr needing to have an intravenous inserted into his arm to help rehydrate him and flush out the toxins that were causing him harm in between periods. As soon as the next period started, he pulled the IV out and got back into the game. No complaints and no questions asked, he was always on a mission to do what he had to do to help the Kings win.

How about the stories about how Regehr reacted after he got injured last year in the second round of the playoffs. An injury that eventually healed before the Stanley Cup Final had ended but with the Kings on a such roll, he ended up never playing another game that season. Even though he was finally healthy (enough) he had to sit in the stands and watch his team go on and win the Stanley Cup without him. Did he complain or whine about his misfortune? Did he make a fuss about it? Nope. Instead he cheered on his teammates in the locker room and was there for support and advice. He was a total team player and as a reward, Captain Dustin Brown handed over the Cup to Regehr first, right after he himself had just lifted it in victory. Who can forget the mean, old school hardnosed defensive stay at home beast of a defensemen in tears while skating around the Staples Center ice with Lord Stanley’s Cup finally raised high above his head?

So, farewell and thank you Robyn Regehr for all your hard work and physical sacrifice. Thank you for proudly representing yourself as a Los Angeles King and showing true class of what it truly means to be a team player. We never got to see the best of you in your career playing for us but I have no doubt you gave us your best until you simply had nothing left to give. I’m honored that we got to see you fulfill your dream of winning the Stanley Cup here in Los Angeles and that your final sacrifice to the Kingdom will be your career so the Kings can free up about $3 million of cap space. I wish you the best in the next chapter in your life.