Ask an NHL forward who has tried to insulate himself between Robyn Regehr and the end boards. The six-foot-four defenceman makes a definite impression.

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And when he's not pancaking hapless forwards, Regehr is also in the business of making an impression around the league. In the years since the ill-fated lockout of 2004-05, Regehr has become perhaps the most influential player in the league. Chris Chelios may get the headlines, but behind the closed doors of the NHL Players Association the Flames veteran defenceman has become the go-to guy.

The soft-spoken Regehr was a key figure in the job search for a new executive director after Ted Saskin imploded in EmailGate. With the union in tatters, he became a unifying figure. Now, he sits on most of the influential committees of the NHLPA. He often chairs meetings of the executive committee -- the voice of consensus, say those who've seen him in action. And when Regehr speaks, it often ends the debate.

Says current NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly: "When Robin speaks, it is always thoughtful, direct, and focused on what is best for the players and their families. And when he speaks, others listen with a respectful ear. There is no player, with the possible exception of Chris Chelios, who is more committed to the mission of NHLPA or the welfare of his fellow players, than Robyn Regehr."

That has earned him props from outsiders, such as Susan Foster -- who, with Carl Brewer, led the fight to upgrade the pensions of retired NHL stars. "I have tremendous respect for Robyn's ability to read people," says Foster, who also saw him from within the NHLPA's most stormy meetings, "and the courage he has often shown in speaking out for what he clearly sees to be in the best interests of his fellow players."

Right, I can hear cynics saying. Nice stuff, but what's it got to do with reality? Understand that Desperate Housewives has nothing on NHL players for the sniping, back-stabbing, disrepect and otherwise bitching and moaning. See Sean Avery. But where Avery is the poster boy for dissent, Regehr has won the almost universal respect of his fellow players for his charitable work in Africa, his loyalty to the PA and his unflappability in crisis.

Flames forward Mike Cammalleri served with Regehr on the search committee to hire Paul Kelly. "In a business that's as political as ours is, it's not always easy to take a stand," says Cammalleri. "It's often easier to hide in the weeds, to be a 'yes' man. But Robyn doesn't have a problem standing up for what he believes in."

That was sorely tested in the heated meetings during the lockout. "Guys are fiery," says Regehr. "It can get heated. There have been times -- the meeting we had in March (of 2005) during the lockout -- it got heated. We were going through something no other union had gone through before. Guys were emotional. They're used to using the game as an outlet to get some of that out, but they didn't have that. And it made for a very heated meeting. But it was good because we were able to talk about it."