Flames ink former Canuck

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Welcome aboard Guillaume Desbiens...

 

[puckhead]

anyone who ever played on the 4th line is getting scuttled (except Lappy / Oro)
Glass / Tamby / Desbiens / Torres / Ripper...

guess they are making absolutely sure there's room for Zenon!

 

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Zenon Konopka...Great name.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Zenon Konopka...Great name.

I'd say he is in the Zarley Zalapski echelon of hockey names.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

anyone who ever played on the 4th line is getting scuttled (except Lappy / Oro)
Glass / Tamby / Desbiens / Torres / Ripper...

guess they are making absolutely sure there's room for Zenon!

Are you telling me the Canucks have to let a bunch of players go to sign a guy who made 600 K last season?

Don't get me wrong. I like Z, but he told the Isles he'd accept the same contract he had last season & Garth said No Thanks.

 

[puckhead]

Are you telling me the Canucks have to let a bunch of players go to sign a guy who made 600 K last season?

Don't get me wrong. I like Z, but he told the Isles he'd accept the same contract he had last season & Garth said No Thanks.

no, I wasn't talking about salary room. We're in decent shape there (need to sign Hansen still).
just that we had about eight different 4th liners last year, and none of them could be a physical presence on a regular basis.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

no, I wasn't talking about salary room. We're in decent shape there (need to sign Hansen still).
just that we had about eight different 4th liners last year, and none of them could be a physical presence on a regular basis.

Rypien & Glass just couldn't cut it eh?

 

[puckhead]

Rypien & Glass just couldn't cut it eh?

4th line was cut to pieces in the finals. Too many long stretches in their own zone, and their counterparts were very productive against them.
Glass was effective when he hit. He went through long stretches (including the playoffs), where he didn't hit, and was ergo useless.
Glass was 3rd on the team with 130 hits, but Andrew Alberts had 113 in only 42 games.

I liked Rypien. He was truly a giant killer. Just had some personal issues that he couldn't solve. I truly wish him the best, and he's one of the reasons that we need someone who can throw 'em (I assume WPG will be in our division the year after next).

However, with them gone - right now we are the softest team in the division, maybe in the west.
I like Zenon's face-off prowess (starting with the puck is better than starting without the puck), and ability to scrap with anyone. He would preferably increase his own hitting numbers. I honestly don't know if he has the skating ability to get in on the forecheck effectively.
I don't see too many bangers out there. Chris Neil (258) is still UFA, but I'm a bit scared that he's a headcase / cancer. There have been too many stories out of Ottawa that he's been a part of.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

4th line was cut to pieces in the finals. Too many long stretches in their own zone, and their counterparts were very productive against them.
Glass was effective when he hit. He went through long stretches (including the playoffs), where he didn't hit, and was ergo useless.
Glass was 3rd on the team with 130 hits, but Andrew Alberts had 113 in only 42 games.

I liked Rypien. He was truly a giant killer. Just had some personal issues that he couldn't solve. I truly wish him the best, and he's one of the reasons that we need someone who can throw 'em (I assume WPG will be in our division the year after next).

However, with them gone - right now we are the softest team in the division, maybe in the west.
I like Zenon's face-off prowess (starting with the puck is better than starting without the puck), and ability to scrap with anyone. He would preferably increase his own hitting numbers. I honestly don't know if he has the skating ability to get in on the forecheck effectively.
I don't see too many bangers out there. Chris Neil (258) is still UFA, but I'm a bit scared that he's a headcase / cancer. There have been too many stories out of Ottawa that he's been a part of.

Like you said Konopka is good on faceoffs. He's great in the lockerroom. The one thing that makes me wonder whether or not he'd be a good fit in Vancouver is his skating. You're right about the forecheck issues. That's definately the responibility of the wingers on Z's line. The Canucks play an up tempo speed game. Zenon doesn't necessarily fit. However, we're talking about a 4th line center. He wins a lot of faceoffs & if the wingers can skate he should be fine.