The Los Angeles Kings have bolstered their blueline for a Stanley Cup defense, acquiring veteran defenseman Robyn Regehr from Buffalo in exchange for a pair of second-round draft picks.
The trade, first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger, was contingent upon Regehr waiving his no-trade clause to join the Kings.
The 32-year-old agreed, reuniting him with LA head coach Darryl Sutter -- the pair went to the 2004 Stanley Cup finals together as members of the Calgary Flames.
In his prime, Regher was one of the NHL’s most effective shutdown defensemen, twice representing Canada at the Winter Olympics.
He was traded from Calgary to Buffalo in in 2011 but never seemed to fit with the Sabres (perhaps a testament to playing the 11 years of his career with the Flames and in the Western Conference.)
Regehr had just 1G-4A-5PTS in 2011-12 and saw his ice time dip to 18:38 per game.
This season, he had 0G-2A-2PTS in 29 games with almost identical TOI.
Regehr promises to fit in well with the Kings, though, reprising the veteran defensive role that Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene provided en route to last year’s Stanley Cup.
Both defensemen have been out of the lineup almost entirely this season -- Mitchell has yet to play, Greene appeared just once -- and while Greene may return to action, Kings GM Dean Lombardi recently said Mitchell’s return is a “long shot.”
Update: According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the second-round picks headed to Buffalo are in 2014 and ’15.