It raised eyebrows throughout the NHL when the team announced it and, outside of Long Island, it elicits smirks today—a 15-year, $67.5 million contract for a 24-year-old goalie.
For a position that traditionally sees players develop later in their careers and also seems to have a very small window for what is considered “prime years” (provided your name isn’t either Marty Brodeur or Patrick Roy), the idea of a 15-year deal for the guy in net was a real head scratcher.
However, you certainly can’t fault the one-time brash kid from New England for happily grabbing that pen back in 2006 and signing the deal that is currently paying him $4.5 million a year through 2021. On the other hand, if your name is Charles Wang, well, that’s another story.
“Yeah, 15 years seems like a long time. It is a long time,” DiPietro said back on the day of the signing.
Well, a long time just became an eternity and for an Islanders organization that is 17 years into a rebuilding program the future just got a little more cloudy as they announced that DP has, once again, been shutdown for the season.
“It’s not a wasted year. I proved I could come back and play in the NHL. I know I can play. I’ve already proved it. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” DiPietro told reporters last week, just prior to the team’s announcement that his season was over.
His seven games played this season bring his total number of games played to 12 over the last two seasons. His career numbers are now 119-117-8, a 2.79 GA and a .905 SV percentage. The surgeries have piled up, matched only by the doubt about what’s left in the tank at this point for the 29-year-old.
No one is saying “career ending” after mentioning this latest setback (swelling in his left knee) but you know everyone is thinking it. While Rick DiPietro’s mind isn’t telling him it might be over, his body maybe asking for a second opinion.
So then, where does this leave the Islanders? As mentioned earlier, though the organization keeps insisting they are two years into their rebuilding program, since they haven’t won a playoff series since 1993 we’re going to go ahead and correct that number for them and go with the aforementioned 17 years. While “progress” continues to be the watch word for the club with regard to this season, the backbone of any real rebuilding has to begin in goal.
With DP’s status now a big question mark, Martin Biron counting the days till he’s out of here and Dwayne Roloson turning 41 at the beginning of next season, the situation in goal for the Isles in 2010-2011 is, well, a mess.
At a time when GM Garth Snow should be thinking about adding pieces up front and perhaps another veteran with size on the blue line, his priorities now have to shift to the goal crease. And while the team will be at least $15 million under the cap and Snow keeps insisting he has “the green light” to spend, the signing of a veteran netminder certainly puts a crimp in Snow’s free agent plans this summer.
“We feel working with our goaltending coaches this summer, Rick will return to top form,” was the most recent quote from Snow regarding the situation. Does anyone even remember what “top form” was for Rick DiPietro?
It’s not as though there won’t be options with regard to picking up a goalie, it’s just going to be difficult to get anyone solid after what the Isles put Biron through this season. It’s Groundhog’s Day again this fall as the team will start the season with two veterans, yet all the focus will be on the “face of the franchise” as they await DP’s triumphant return…again. Who, on the goalie front, is going to want to become a part of that?
And can they really call up one of these kids they’ve drafted in recent years and take a chance that their 41-year-old No. 1 holds up for 60+ games? Plainly stated, none of youngsters are even close to ready and if something were to happen to Roloson the wheels could come off real early.
The talk next season really needs to be about making the playoffs but for a club that will finish the season at the bottom of the league in goals against, the situation in goal is pushing the rebuilding program on and on and on. And while Roloson played well for the team this season, they also have to wonder if that’s a well that might be getting a bit dry.
The goalie-go-round that has been the Islanders for years now spins on.
ICE CHIPS
Andrew MacDonald should be back tonight against the Rangers which is good news as the 23-year-old can now continue his coming out party for a few more weeks before the season ends. He has looked comfortable from day one and his continued development is an important part of the make-up for next season’s defense.
In a season not exactly loaded with positive developments, the team has to be happy with what has happened on defense this season. The emergence of both MacDonald (23) and Jack Hillen (24) as solid blueliners was a pleasant surprise. Dustin Kohn (23) gained valuable experience this season as well before his recent injury and looked solid. Add the possibility that 2009 first round pick Calvin de Haan (19) will be given a long look in September and it’s fair to say that what looked like a weak link at the beginning of last season is turning into major strength for next season. With the rock solid Mark Streit returning (and hopefully healthy) Radek Martinek and Freddy Myer making a late season push to be in the mix the Isles’ D might be actually their anchor for 2010-2011.
OK—it’s still a major long shot, but a win tonight and the Isles are six points out with six to play…I’m just sayin’.
Isles fans are currently sitting in an odd position as the desire to see the club play well and win is interspersed with the feeling they finish as low in the overall standings as possible in the hope of getting that second pick. With teams so tightly bunched they could finish anywhere from 29 to 22, which would be the ninth pick.
In what is expected to be a fairly deep draft, most experts are saying the top five or six picks could be NHL-ready by next season. Of course, the ping pong ball NHL lottery system could throw a wrench in the works anyway but I think most fans would secretly admit it does cast an odd feeling over a 2-2 game with 10 minutes left.