Veteran defenceman Robyn Regehr close to returning for Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Veteran Kings defenceman Robyn Regehr, sidelined since Game 1 of the Anaheim series, says he’s close to returning.

“I feel good,” the 34-year-old said after the morning skate in advance of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final against the New York Rangers. “I had a chance to practise a little bit, had a little bit of contact.”

But Regehr said his guess was coach Darryl Sutter would go with the same lineup as last time, given the overtime win over Chicago in Game 7 of the Western Conference final.

Sutter also indicated Regehr’s time would likely come later.

“He’s getting closer,” he said. “With only the one game, the way it’s broke out this week, we probably wouldn’t play him tonight.”

Game 2 of the series goes Saturday.

Regehr, who has played 1,022 regular-season NHL games, was part of Sutter’s Calgary Flames team that lost the 2004 Cup final to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Asked what he wanted to do differently this time, Regehr said: “Win, simple as that.”

Regehr was injured May 3 when he was knocked into the boards by Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne.