Regehr forgoes FAcy, signs four-year extension

Robyn Regehr hopes to hoist more even more hardware for the Baffin Island Rovers over the next four seasons.









Iqaluit, NU (CP)

On the eve of beginning their RHL15 playoff run, Robyn Regehr wanted to ensure that future playoff runs would also be made as a Rover. With unrestricted free agency weeks away, Regehr and the Rovers agreed to a four year contract extension reportedly valued at more than five million dollars, though exact figures were not disclosed.

"I'm just happy to put this behind me", Regehr said at the press conference. "It had been looming, and while I wasn't looking to go anywhere else, it can play on your mind if you are always asked about it. I'm glad the team wanted me as much as I wanted to stay".

The feeling was definitely mutual. "Robyn really stepped up and has developed into one of the leaders of the club", coach and GM Stringer said of his rearguard. "He's going to be one of the guys that will be helping our younger dmen (Phaneuf, Liles, Michalek) down the road. We're ecstatic to get this done".

Regehr has just completed his fourth season with Baffin, being acquired prior to RHL12 in a deal with the Snow Dogs. He played in all 66 games with the team this year and registered his best offensive season with the club scoring 3 goals and 14 points. He sits 6th all-time and 2nd among defensemen in franchise history with 218 games played in the teal and black. Regehr has one RHL ring to his credit, although he was a black ace during the Rovers' RHL13 championship run. He was a regular last season when the Rovers fell one win short of repeating against the Vampyres and is looking forward to this playoff and others in the future. "Winning a championship is awesome, but knowing that you really contributed to it is even better. But then getting a chance to finally play and coming so close last year, that's a taste we all want to get out of our mouths. I think we've got a team that can do it this season".

The Rovers have more free agents to deal with, including forwards Mark Recchi, Cory Stillman, and Jeff Halpern as well as defensemen Danny Markov and Sean Hill. But right now nobody is talking about that. "We've inked Robyn today, but that doesn't mean there's anything to ready into about anyone else. We'll try to keep everybody, but that's not what we're focussed on right now. Today we are getting ready to play our first playoff game next week, and that's what 23 guys in the room are all about".