In 2000, the New York Islanders selected Rick DiPietro first over all in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft after an 18-5-5 season with Boston University, good enough for an NCAA Hockey East regular season title. During his first season as a pro on the Islanders, he went 3-15-1 with a 3.49gaa and a .878 Sv%, and 4-5-2 with the Chicago Wolves of the now defunct, IHL or International Hockey League. In 2001, he was assigned to the new Bridgeport AHL franchise, which would serve as the top affiliate for the Islanders. That year, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers went 43-25-8, losing the Calder Cup Finals to the same, now AHL aligned, Chicago Wolves. DiPietro had a 30-22-7 record with a 2.32gaa and a .913 Sv% that season.
During the 2002-03, 03-04 and 04-05 seasons, DiPietro split time between Bridgeport and Long Island, developing his game and getting to be a better and smarter goaltender. He helped the Tigers make the playoffs again in 2002-03, but failed to get out of the first round. From a positional standpoint, even though it could be said he had the ability to handle the puck very well and often assisted the defense on clears, DiPietro’s decision making could be questioned. His choices on when to handle the puck and when to let it go could be and were criticized often by fans and the media. His miscues were somewhat common and often resulted in untimely give-aways and goals against for the opposition. The following season, in 2005-06, he played a career high of 63 games in which he went 30-24-5.
In 2006, DiPietro signed an unprecedented, 15-year, $67.5M contract. Although now common place in the NHL, the Hockey world was very critical of such a long, high priced contract. The team was the butt of countless jokes, and the Islanders Organization was ridiculed about why a team would sign a player to such a contract. At the time, it made DiPietro the highest paid goaltender in the NHL at 4.5M per season. As it was, Garth Snow, the back-up goaltender from the previous season, was elevated to GM. Ted Nolan, who hadn’t coached since ’97, was the Isles bench boss. The ridicule would continue from when they bought out the 4 remaining years of Alexi Yashin’s (about $18M) 10-year contract that would count as 2.2M against their salary cap for the next 8 years.
That season, DP went a career best, 32-19-9 with a 2.58 Sv% and a .919 Sv% and made the NHL playoffs after the heroics of Wade Dubielewicz in relief for the final game of the season. The Islanders went on to lose to the Buffalo Sabers 4 games to 1. The team had a successful year and finally made it back to the playoffs, despite being picked to finish last; DP was a major component of their limited success. DiPietro’s injury period would begin. Jeff Z. Klein’s timeline helped me remember the events.
Just when DP seemed to be coming of age, it is now evident looking back that it could be the beginning of the end for Rick DiPietro’s NHL hockey career. DiPietro’s resolve to battle and never back down could be seen as most of the reason for his success. On March 13, 2007, DiPietro skated out for the puck while a streaking Montreal player (Steve Begin) made a play for the puck, resulting in an uncontrolled collision. DP would suffer a concussion and force him to miss the final 7 games of the season.
Prior to the 2007-08 season, DiPietro would undergo surgery, in the off-season, to repair a tear in his hip. A knee sprain would cause him to miss 3 games in December. Things seemed to improve as DiPietro was named an NHL All-Star in 2008 as a starting goaltender for the Eastern Conference. During a skills competition, DP re-injured his hip and was heard on live t.v. asking Boston’s Tim Thomas to take over for him in the contest. He would miss the final 9 games of the season.
The off-season before 2008-09 would not be any better. DiPietro would have surgery on the same left knee that he sprained the year before. He would play only one period in the first five games and miss 27 games that would lead into another knee surgery. DP missed the last 42 games of the season with “knee swelling.” He would play in only 4 games going 1-3-0 with a 3.53gaa and a .892Sv%.
After another off-season knee surgery and missing the first 27 games, 2009-10 would see DiPietro go 2-5-0, 2.60gaa and .900Sv%. The final 12 games would be missed with more swelling in the knee. 2010-11 would see DiPietro go 8-14-4 with a 3.44gaa and .866 Sv%. DP would see injured reserve with knee swelling and lose 5 games to a groin injury as well. On February 2nd, DiPietro engaged with Penguins back up net minder, Brent Johnson and suffered facial fractures, causing him to miss the final 20 games of the season.
In the 2011-12 season, DiPietro would suffer another concussion after taking a shot to the cage of his newly adorned, old school, cat eye mask, similar to the one Glen Healy used to wear.
He suffered another groin injury to once again place him on injured reserve in December vs. the Dallas Stars. DiPietro’s constant injuries would give some in the blogesphere and Hockey media to take a sarcastic tone when reporting on the Islanders and their “Goalie merry-go round.” Since 2006-07, DP would share the Islanders crease with Mike Dunham, Wade Dubielewicz, Joey MacDonald, Yann Danis, Peter Mannino, Dwayne Roloson, Martin Biron, Al Montoya, Kevin Poulin, Nathan Lawson and Mikko Koskinen. Last season, the Isles added Evgeni Nabokov and Anders Nilsson to the mix.
It is evident that prospects like Kevin Poulin and Anders Nilsson have the Islanders optimistic about their goaltending future. Evgeni Nabokov is a solid veteran that can play right now and keep the Isles in games. So what does that mean for Rick DiPietro?
Well today, the teams website promoted the following story.
Per the New York Islanders, “Rick DiPietro has officially been activated off of the team's injured reserve list…”
It can be said that the ‘DiPietro carousel' undermines the team chemistry and the stability in goal. That would seem to be correct. It can also be said that DP should retire and end his injury-plagued career. That may be true. Some say enough already, give it up. At this point, I might be inclined to agree. But I also know this. DP needs to win to remain with the team. If he is going to mount a real NHL level comeback, he needs to make more saves and allow less goals. Period.
As a member of team USA for the Junior Championships, an Olympian for the United States World Cup and World Championships, DiPietro is a competitor that doesn’t know how to quit. As a person, few athletes have wanted to do more for the fans and hockey community with his celebrity.
For what its worth, he wanted to help the New York Islanders win a Stanley Cup and by committing to them for 15 years, said he didn’t want to play anywhere else. From the time he played in Bridgeport, he only wanted to bleed blue and orange.
I bring this up because I know that even though DiPietro has become a joke to some, no one resents what has unfolded for him in his career more than him. And as much as we, the fans, have suffered through year after year of injury, vague team explanations, and the frustration of it all, so has he. Rick DiPietro didn’t set out to write this legacy, so I would say cut him a break and support him if he comes back in net for the Isles.
I also understand the frustration with Ownership and Management for some of the moves made over the last few years, like keeping Rick DiPietro in the plan. I think its because they want to hang on to what they think will help them win, a healthy DP included. Especially, the struggle to land the top tier free agent. We all know that probably won’t change until something can be worked out with a new arena. I know that Ownership and Management are trying to do all they can to improve the team until then. Charles Wang has gotten to be a better Owner and kept the Isles here so far and Garth Snow has done a very good job, considering the damage done to the franchise, since the Milbury years. The rebuild is showing results and the team has done its best to make Long Island a destination for potential missing pieces.
If the Islanders don’t want to give up on DiPietro just yet, I understand your frustrations.
So, while DP continues to workout, practice and train, we can hope he may regain some of his All-Star form. I am not sure how long we will have to wait to see how this all turns out, but for what its worth, just realize that Rick DiPietro has never given up on the Islanders.
Isles Notes:
Per Chris Botta, “On ESPN Spano NYI doc, "Prison Break" creator Nick Santora had to step down after starting project. Kevin Connolly now directing.”
“If Rick DiPietro was on IR when a lockout began, Islanders would have to pay him. Hence today's very official announcement.”
Christian Arnold reminds us, “Today is the one year anniversary of the defeated Nassau Coliseum Referendum.”
Per Randi Marshall, “Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray: "Hempstead Town looks forward to working with the developer that Nassau County chooses."
NHL Notes:
Per Katie Strang, “NHL and NHLPA split into small groups today. Topics discussed: pension/benefits, player health and safety issues. No counter-proposal from NHLPA yet; PA still has not received all the independently audited financial info they requested from NHL. Labor talks: NHLPA frustrated it hasn't received all independently-audited financial info necessary to make counter-proposal while NHL frustrated abt perception this info is different than the financial documentation that has already been provided. (I) Asked about potential lockout should no deal be reached by Sept 15, NHL Deputy Commish Bill Daly said goal is to avoid that scenario.”
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