Robyn Regehr inks 2-year deal with LA Kings, taking pay cut for champs
Check out Robyn Regehr, getting in before the free-agent rush.
The Los Angeles Kings defenseman signed a 2-year contract extension on Thursday, before he could hit the unrestricted free-agent market this summer.
Lisa Dillman of the LA Times has the terms at $3 million per season against the cap, which is $1 million less than Regehr made this season, the last of his 5-year deal signed with the Calgary Flames in 2008.
Regehr appeared in 41 regular season games this season with the Kings and Buffalo Sabres, posting four points (all assists) and 23 penalty minutes. In 943 career regular season games with the Calgary Flames, Sabres and Kings, Regehr has 172 points (30-142-172) and 881 penalty minutes. Regehr was acquired by the Kings from Buffalo in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft and the 2015 NHL Draft on April 1.
When he was acquired, Regehr was uncertain about his future with the Kings, telling LA Kings Insider:
“I think it depends on a lot of things. It depends how things go for me personally. It depends how things go for the team, and also probably the most important, there’s also other factors, such as next year we all know that the cap is going down from what it is this year and things like that. So there’s so many things that are out there and that are involved with that decision that I don’t think about that too much at this point. I’m just – like I said – I’ve got enough stuff going on right now to deal with.”
That was before he was paired with Drew Doughty, forming a formidable top four for the Kings along with Rob Scuderi and Slava Voynov. (Scuderi is also a pending UFA.)
What this signing would seem to indicate, sadly, is that defenseman Willie Mitchell’s status for next season and beyond is in doubt. He’s battled a knee injury that kept him out all season – despite what Liz Habib thinks – and is signed through 2014.
