a love letter to robyn regehr

my dearest reggie:

it is with both great sadness and overwhelming joy that i write to you today, because i've been informed that the biggest decision of your life has fallen into your hands. i understand you've been asked to waive your no trade clause with the calgary flames (the only nhl team you've ever really known) in order for them to send you to the buffalo sabres. you are incredibly fortunate to have your choice of fates, reggie, and i trust that you're giving it the mulling-over of a lifetime...

here's the thing: i know it's buffalo, which kinda sucks. but they do have the anchor bar and the original wingnight. admittedly, that's about it --but their hockey team has a lot of potential and a world-class coach, and i would imagine that might be a refreshing change for you... plus i'd bet a ton of dough you'll get paired with tyler myers and he's a pretty solid, punishing up-and-comer. i bet he'd learn a lot from you, and i bet it'd be swell to leave some legacy behind in the next few years before retiring (which obviously ain't gonna happen in calgary since they'll never bring any kids into the top six). plus you got your boys monty and leo there to welcome you to the fold... it wouldn't be all bad !!!

it IS a lot further from home, and from REAL home in saskatchewan. it's a lot further from roughriders games but they only really play a month into the hockey season anyways. you could still attend in the offseason...

if you decide to stay in calgary, i would be more than happy to watch you railroad the sedins and ales hemsky through the duration of your contract. there will never be anything quite like your tunnel of doom, and i'd be perfectly content to watch you run clinics on it through the next few years. realistically, though, you'll never be paired with anyone good enough to watch your back in the dome, and the D will never be good enough to win games when none of your teammates can score....

the choice is really yours but i can't imagine any good reason why you'd stick around, other than the presumed fact you've made some damn good friends in calgary. but think about it: andrew ference made some good friends here, too, but that guy won a stanley cup. maybe it's a sign from the hockey gods when you realize that he was traded after a game in buffalo....

anyhow, i want you to know this: you have been the best interview on the flames for a decade. you were the handsdown winner of the sideburns contest, and you're the most honest of the bunch; a charismatic yet crotchety beast... i think you would have made as good or better a captain than iginla, and would probably have led the team to greater victories. you were my favorite defenseman until gio came along (sorry bud, but i love gio) and i wish you the best of luck with the rest of your career, no matter where you choose to go. like the guys who left before you (ference included), i will cheer you on regardless of your jersey.... and finally? i want to thank you for playing your best and your hardest for this team through the good years and the bad. and if you ask me, you were worth theo fleury a hundred times over...

much, much love and all the best,
wi