Konopka, 30, spent the 2010-11 season with the New York Islanders, for whom he appeared in each of the team’s 82 games and led the National Hockey League with 307 penalty minutes. He also recorded NHL career highs with seven assists and nine points while finishing the season ranked fourth in the league with a 57.7 per cent faceoff success rate.

Prior to joining the Islanders, the native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., spent the two previous seasons in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. Konopka registered five points (two goals, three assists) while skating in 74 games for Tampa Bay in 2009-10 and led the NHL with 265 penalty minutes that season. He also recorded a 62.3 per cent success rate in faceoffs.

Konopka spent his entire major junior career with the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, appearing in 242 games over four seasons from 1998 to 2002 while registering 185 points (53 goals, 132 assists) and 389 penalty minutes.

Undrafted, Konopka made his NHL debut with the (then) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim during the 2005-06 season. He also played parts of two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets before signing with Tampa Bay prior to the 2008-09 campaign. In 195 NHL contests, Konopka has registered 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) and 684 penalty minutes.