Two key components of the Syracuse Crunch hockey club's successful 2007-08 campaign have signed on with new teams. Goaltender Karl Goehring and captain Zenon Konopka will not don Al the Gorilla on their sweaters next season.The Manitoba Moose signed Goehring to an AHL deal this week effectively ending the backstop's second stint in the Salt City. Goehring had a 7-6 record during the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, earning four of those victories against the Moose. During the regular season, Goehring went 15-8-2 with a 2.12 goals against average while stopping 93% of the shots he faced.
Konopka signed a two-year contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lighting on Thursday. He had been offered $265,000 by Columbus to remain the Crunch captain for the 2008-09 season. However, Konopka told The Post-Standard's Lindsey Kramer that, after speaking with new Lightning coach Barry Melrose, he feels he has a batter chance at making the NHL with his new club.
Konopka will earn $100,000 if he spends the entire first year of the deal with Tampa's AHL-afiliate Norfolk. The second year of the deal is one-way, meaning he'll make the same amount of money no matter which level he plays at. Kramer reports the salary of the second year of the deal to be in the $450,000-$500,000 range.
Ryan Maloney
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