2012 ex-Senator names his two claims to fame

Zenon Konopka played for seven different NHL teams in his nine-year career. One of the seven teams Konopka played for was the Ottawa Senators.

Konopka played just one season for the Senators in the 2011-12 season. Konopka recorded five points for the Senators that season in 55 games. 2012 ended rough for Konopka and the Senators when they were eliminated in seven games by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2012 playoffs.

Konopka last played in the NHL during the 2013-14 season. With over a decade since he last played a game, the ex-Senator talked about what his two claims to fame are looking back at his hockey career.

Penalty minutes and face-offs are Konopka's claim to fame

In a recent episode of Spittin' Chiclets, Konopka appeared as a guest. During the episode, Konopka mentioned how he has two claims to fame for his hockey career, which are being the last player to have over 300 penalty minutes and holding the second highest faceoff winning percentage of all-time.

It was the season before joining the Senators when Konopka recorded the last 300-penalty minute season with the New York Islanders. Konopka recordeed a career-high 307 penalty minutes in the 2010-11 season. Konopka's faceoff winning percentage in his career according to Hockey Reference is 59.6 percent.

During the episode, Konopka talked about the Senators roster at the time on being a center. With centers Jason Spezza, Colin Greening, Kyle Turris and Zack Smith on the roster back then, Konopka talked a key factor on getting playing time as a Senator for that season.

"When I go to Ottawa, you don't play center if you can't take draws," Konopka said.

Konopka's 58.9 faceoff winning percentage was the highest on the Senators roster among centers during the 2011-12 season. Bobby Butler and Rob Klinkhammer each had a higher faceoff winning percentage than Konopka did in the season, but both of them each took three faceoffs. Konopka ended up winning 232 faceoffs.

Konopka's faceoff success during the regular season carried over in the 2012 playoffs against the Rangers. Konopka won 70.7 percent of his faceoffs (53 of 75) during the playoffs. Along with winning 53 faceoffs, Konopka recorded two assists in the series against the Rangers, which was the only playoff points recorded in his career.

Konopka mentioned there would be times in his career where he would take a faceoff on a powerplay and then get off the ice so his team can control the puck in the offensive zone on the powerplay.

Konopka also mentioned how important faceoffs are today for puck possession and having control on the powerplay.