Overlooked and Underrated: Robyn Regehr

A car is immobile without an engine. Birds won’t see any air if you subtract their wings. The Calgary Flames are, I wouldn’t say awful, but seemingly lost when Robyn Regehr is out of the line up.

Through good times and bad he is the ideal player who can control the composure of a group. Good for 20 to 25 points each season, Regehr’s size, knowledge and workmanship make him a special competitor.

A frightening set of events occurred at the early stages of his career. Involved in a serious car accident in 1999, Regehr had both tibias broken which required surgery and serious rehabilitation afterwards to return to the game.

Recovery went along as planned and he found himself on the Flames’ roster for the first time that season (58 games). Ever since, he has dressed for the squad in at least 68 games every year.

The 29-year-old began to standout in the 2003/2004 season where he netted four goals and potted 14 assists. Calgary came within one game of a Stanley Cup Title and Regehr’s efforts highlighted the defense’s play.

His plus-7 rating was the highest among Flames defenders and Jordan Leopold had one more point than his nine (two goals, seven assists). Team Canada called shortly afterwards and he joined them in winning the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

No goals and eight assists in 75 games of action were unusual this year because Regehr was coming off three consecutive seasons with 20 or more points. However, the offense isn’t his particular specialty.

A knee injury nagged him at the worst time; just prior to the playoffs. He missed the last five games of the season and every Calgary playoff match. With three losses in the final five matches without Regehr, there was worriment among the team’s followers entering the postseason.

Chicago, youthful but extremely loaded with goods, eliminated the Flames as the roster began to look bleak with so many missing pieces. Dion Phaneuf missed game six crushing any chances Mike Keenan had for a comeback since his two most reliable defenseman weren’t available.

Without a doubt it was Regehr’s absence that caused the team to crumble. Those devastating checks he throws could have turned the tide in Calgary’s favor as the series progressed to its crucial moments.

Young stars like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews would have had a much tougher time scoring as Regehr would have likely been assigned to shutting them down. As for Adam Burish, he may have thought twice before getting in Jarome Iginla’s face.

“The guy’s an animal,” teammate Eric Nystrom said following the first-round exit. “That guy’s a difference-maker. If you look at the record with him in the lineup and him out of the lineup, it would be pretty significant.”

Had Calgary survived one round, their bulking defenseman was believed to make a return as early as the Conference Semi-Finals. That lack of presence was trounced on by the Blackhawks in six games.

Iginla is one of the league’s true captains in every stretch of the imagination. There have been fan discussions suggesting an alternate captaincy be arranged to examine possible breakthroughs in regards to the playoffs.

Four straight first-round eliminations don’t sit too well and Regehr’s leadership qualities would make him a prime candidate to aid Iginla. We know he has the will to earn victory at all costs.

R & R normally stands for a laundry list of things such as rest and relaxation. It too represents the initials of Robyn Regehr and competing against him, there’s no rest, definitely no relaxation.

1) Ales Hemsky

2) Todd Marchant

3) Chris Thorburn

4) Matt Hunwick

5) Daniel Paille

Some Other Articles That You May Enjoy:
Overlooked and Underrated: Andrew Murray
Overlooked and Underrated: Ray Whitney
Overlooked and Underrated: Wojtek Wolski
Overlooked and Underrated: Dave Bolland
#57 William Wrenn – The Hockey Spy’s 2009 NHL Entry Draft Rankings
Overlooked and Underrated: Daniel Paille

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