Ottawa signs Konopka 1 year/700K

rooneypoo wrote:It's an unexpected move that opens up a lot of possibilities. To me, this move increases the likelihood that we're going to start trading players around -- all of a sudden, guys like Foligno, Regin, Winchester, and Carkner are all in play. Maybe you package Kuba + 1 of those guys to land 2nd line center, for instance.

It also means we can stop talking all that rot about Daugavins, etc., making this team. No way now. Even DaCosta and Zibanejad just got a whole lot more unlikely, if you ask me.

Also, our bottom 6 or so is starting to look pretty tough: Konopka, Neil, Smith, Winchester. We're appropriating all the Truculence out there....

tim1_2 wrote:Someone from the Sun network suggested that Murray should sign Konopka. I poo-pooed it because Konopka doesn't really seem to be what Ottawa needs right now. He's great on the draw, and was second in the league in fighting majors. He'll certainly make Ottawa games more entertaining.

Maybe we're in the process of trading Carkner or Neil? Or maybe Carks won't be on the team?

Regardless, Konopka adds depth, and adds toughness. Never bad to have either.

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:It's an unexpected move that opens up a lot of possibilities. To me, this move increases the likelihood that we're going to start trading players around -- all of a sudden, guys like Foligno, Regin, Winchester, and Carkner are all in play. Maybe you package Kuba + 1 of those guys to land 2nd line center, for instance.

It also means we can stop talking all that rot about Daugavins, etc., making this team. No way now. Even DaCosta and Zibanejad just got a whole lot more unlikely, if you ask me.

Also, our bottom 6 or so is starting to look pretty tough: Konopka, Neil, Smith, Winchester. We're appropriating all the Truculence out there....

Geez, I hope not.

Filatov - Spezza - Butler
Michalek - Regin (Da Costa/Zibanejad is he falters) - Alfredsson
Greening - Z.Smith - Foligno (no idea how to fit Foligno in)
Winchester - Zenopka - Neil

Just run with that. We might as well.

rooneypoo wrote:
Well, to be fair, I'm expecting both Butler and Condra to get 1-way deals, especially considering the Smith and Greening deals. We'll see in time I guess, but I think Condra walks away with a 1-way deal. If so, all of a sudden we have 13 forwards on 1-way deals, and that's throwing aside the question of Zibanejad and Da Costa. Can't imagine that we want to have any of the kids sit for expended periods.

We'll see -- but I smell a deal or two before it's all done.

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
Well, to be fair, I'm expecting both Butler and Condra to get 1-way deals, especially considering the Smith and Greening deals. We'll see in time I guess, but I think Condra walks away with a 1-way deal. If so, all of a sudden we have 13 forwards on 1-way deals, and that's throwing aside the question of Zibanejad and Da Costa. Can't imagine that we want to have any of the kids sit for expended periods.

We'll see -- but I smell a deal or two before it's all done.

Interesting. I'm not sure about Condra, so I can't really say anything. He looked ready to me, but I thought they might give him one more year in the AHL just based on numbers alone - and that was before this signing.

Maybe you're right. I think if anything, this spells the end of Zibanejad playing on the Sens this year, Da Costa too I imagine. Can Ziban play in the AHL? I assume so because he's an import.

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:
Well, to be fair, I'm expecting both Butler and Condra to get 1-way deals, especially considering the Smith and Greening deals. We'll see in time I guess, but I think Condra walks away with a 1-way deal. If so, all of a sudden we have 13 forwards on 1-way deals, and that's throwing aside the question of Zibanejad and Da Costa. Can't imagine that we want to have any of the kids sit for expended periods.

We'll see -- but I smell a deal or two before it's all done.

Interesting. I'm not sure about Condra, so I can't really say anything. He looked ready to me, but I thought they might give him one more year in the AHL just based on numbers alone - and that was before this signing.

Maybe you're right. I think if anything, this spells the end of Zibanejad playing on the Sens this year, Da Costa too I imagine. Can Ziban play in the AHL? I assume so because he's an import.

rooneypoo wrote:Anyway, if training camp -- especially for our young, rebuilding team -- is supposed to be all about having roster spots to compete for, then we've either forgot about that goal, or we've got other moves planned. I'm banking on the latter.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Vindication for that rummy, Tim Baines?

more to come

SpezDispenser wrote:

rooneypoo wrote:Anyway, if training camp -- especially for our young, rebuilding team -- is supposed to be all about having roster spots to compete for, then we've either forgot about that goal, or we've got other moves planned. I'm banking on the latter.

Yeah, I have two schools of thought on this signing.

1.I love it. He's a character guy who will drop the gloves to defend players, he's great in the room, he kills penalties, he wins faceoffs to the tune of 4th in the NHL (to go with Spezza who has become one of the best and Winchester who's great and Z.Smith who's very good as well). His salary is great. Everything's great.

2.Why did we do it? Really, we have 1000 bottom 6 players, we'll be lucky to score 150 goals next year.

Those were my initial reactions.

NEELY wrote:Also, the people saying that there won't be a spot for a yougner prospect now, that's just not true. Konopka is simply a plug, 13th forward at the best of times. People really want thier prospect sitting as the 13th forward 1/2 the season and no playing either in Ottawa or the minors? No.

rooneypoo wrote:

NEELY wrote:Also, the people saying that there won't be a spot for a yougner prospect now, that's just not true. Konopka is simply a plug, 13th forward at the best of times. People really want thier prospect sitting as the 13th forward 1/2 the season and no playing either in Ottawa or the minors? No.

Konopka played 82 games last year, and 74 the year before that. He seems to make it hard on his coaches to sit him.

Big Ev wrote:I hope Winchester and Kuba are traded.