Sabres Claim Konopka from Wild

[radoran]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/238607681.html

 

The Wild's Zenon Konopka was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres.

Konopka, who signed a two-year deal with Minnesota in 2012, was claimed by the first team that had an option to take him (Buffalo's ranked 30th in the NHL) and the team closest to his hometown of Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario.

 

Good pickup for Buffalo IMO. Can fill that "Gaustad" role - possibly better than Gaustad*.

 

 

* shhhh! don't tell Nashville!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

**Sigh**

 

Yet MORE purging of toughness from the Minnesota lineup.

I realize that Konopka is very replaceable in most respects, but he IS a very good face off man, and let's face it, Minnesota is NOT fielding the best physical lineup in recent weeks, as Coach Yeo seems content to not have that on his team (not sure why).

 

If his ways were showing themselves in the team results, then no one questions it...but since Minnesota isn't winning right now, I think all eyes will be on him.

Meanwhile, while having all skill isn't necessarily a bad thing, teams like Anaheim, Los Angeles and St. Louis will continue to beat the crap out of Minnesota because they don't have guardians like Konopka, Rupp, Kassian from a couple seasons ago or even borderline tough guy agitators like Nate Prosser playing regularly in Mike Yeo's lineup.

 

Not understanding his line of thinking at all.

Konopka gone...and being replaced by who exactly in the lineup now? 

Someone more skilled on the hockey side, I am sure, but without protection, most of Minnesota's developing players will left out to dry.

 

I am starting to frown in Coach Yeo's direction...he better get his team going...or else...

 

 

Nice pickup for just about free for Buffalo though.

Not going to really help their standing, but at least maybe THEY are seeing they probably will need guys like John Scott, Cody McCormick, and now Zenon Konopka while their younger players develop.

[radoran]

**Sigh**

 

Yet MORE purging of toughness from the Minnesota lineup.

I realize that Konopka is very replaceable in most respects, but he IS a very good face off man, and let's face it, Minnesota is NOT fielding the best physical lineup in recent weeks, as Coach Yeo seems content to not have that on his team (not sure why).

 

If his ways were showing themselves in the team results, then no one questions it...but since Minnesota isn't winning right now, I think all eyes will be on him.

Meanwhile, while having all skill isn't necessarily a bad thing, teams like Anaheim, Los Angeles and St. Louis will continue to beat the crap out of Minnesota because they don't have guardians like Konopka, Rupp, Kassian from a couple seasons ago or even borderline tough guy agitators like Nate Prosser playing regularly in Mike Yeo's lineup.

 

Not understanding his line of thinking at all.

Konopka gone...and being replaced by who exactly in the lineup now? 

Someone more skilled on the hockey side, I am sure, but without protection, most of Minnesota's developing players will left out to dry.

 

I am starting to frown in Coach Yeo's direction...he better get his team going...or else...

 

 

Nice pickup for just about free for Buffalo though.

Not going to really help their standing, but at least maybe THEY are seeing they probably will need guys like John Scott, Cody McCormick, and now Zenon Konopka while their younger players develop.

 

Major difference being that Konopka can actually play a little bit. Scott? Not so much. McCormick apparently could at some point in the past...

 

Not sure what Minny accomplishes with this move - they do seem to lose some backbone and toughness up front.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Oh, yea...I know John Scott basically is a pair of fists on skates...got to see him first hand last night as I attended the Sabres-Wild game. 

He basically was just skating around looking for any excuse to punch a guy in the face.

 

Was just pointing out that since the Sabres won't be contending this year, they will at least have that trio out there to take heat off their developing players.

A very good move that most teams who are at the bottom of the standings with some good young talent employ.

 

Heck, Minnesota themselves employed this not too long ago.

Apparently Coach Yeo thinks his team is too "skilled" to have guys like Konopka and Rupp patrol lines for them?

Tellin ya...the guy gets more confusing to me week after week.

 

And he has a few others on his roster who aren't seeing the type of playing time they probably should.

With the kind of payroll Minnesota is putting out, and the kind of talent (even without finishers) they have, they BETTER make the post season...any other scenario, and I don't see how Yeo keeps his job.

 

I too don't see what Minnesota accomplishes with this move, other than Coach Yeo possibly getting a guy out of the locker room (Konopka) who possibly had the stones to tell the Coach behind closed doors that his team needed to be more assertive on the ice and that they should be allowed to be that way.

 

When you get your goalie run over, and one of your young players run into the boards by the SAME player, and your retaliation is minimal (assuming the players were under Coach's orders) THEN the Coach goes on to downplay any type of retribution by his team in his presser afterwards, well, I can only imagine that would alienate some players...particularly a guys like Rupp and Konopka.

[flyercanuck]

@Hockey Junkie

 

You keep saying the Sabres have SEVENTEEN 1st and 2nd round picks in the next 2 years. I think you mean SEVEN. I could be wrong, but I really can't see Seventeen.

[blocker]

I think it's a good move for Buffalo.   gives them a little more grit, and a guy who can win some face-offs. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

I wonder if Buffalo will use him strictly as a 4th liner, or give him some 3rd line time as well.

 

As everyone knows, his faceoff skill are pretty good, and I can see him doing some good work late in games winning faceoffs in his own zone (or even the offensive zone) and playing a shut down type of role should Buffalo have a lead.

 

It'd be a mistake to treat Konopka as strictly a John Scott or Cody McCormick, though he shares many enforcer traits with those two.

 

The young Buffalo players (and Ryan Miller) should feel pretty safe with those three on the team now, though.

[blocker]

The young Buffalo players (and Ryan Miller) should feel pretty safe with those three on the team now, though

 

Yeah. 

 

That makes sense.