“I talked to Snowy about maybe putting me in some bubble wrap throughout the summer to make sure nothing happens,” DiPietro said, referring to General Manager Garth Snow. He added: “I wish the season could start right now.”
Later, he said: “I’ve had every joint and ligament surgically repaired. There’s not much left to do, so, hopefully, this is the last one, and that’s it.”
Nevertheless, DiPietro is determined to return, and he said one of the reasons is to prove the Islanders’ faith in him in signing him to a contract that now looks like an enormous albatross. In the past four years, DiPietro has played in only 47 games, winning 14.
Great!!! So Nabby will start the season with DP backing him up then we DP goes down somtime between september and November then Nilsson or Poulin will be called up to back up Nabby...
Even when Rickey has played, he has not been good...
I cant believe Im saying this but no matter what hes not going to quite so I hope he can atleast return to a respectable goalie....I would not bet on it though
"UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Far away from a flock of fans collecting autographs before the Islanders’ last home game of the season on Thursday, a bearded man wearing a flat cap and a backpack on his shoulder walked out a side entrance at Nassau Coliseum, alone."
Thats both the Saddest and Funiest thing I have ever heard.
Half-joking, he said: “There were times I was driving over the Throgs Neck Bridge and I thought I’d veer right and end it. It’s tough times. This is a tough business. Physically, it’s hard, but mentally, it’s incredible. I always say you’ve got to laugh to keep from crying, because there are those days when you sit in the stands, and your teammates are like a family.”
Thats rough to hear.... Hoping he rebounds and gets back in his all-star form!
In order for him to prove the Islanders didn't make a mistake by signing him to that deal, he'd have to remain healthy for the rest of his career & put up Vezina Trophy performances each year.
Sorry, but he is not capable of doing that. It was debatable if he ever was. The best thing for DP & the Islanders is for him to just retire and no longer be an issue. That is how he can best help out the islanders.
That's $1,285,714.29 per win over the last 4 years.
Or, if you prefer, $382,978.72 per game played.
Ouch.
I hope DP can recover enough physically so that he can play with his kids. Tough break, I always liked the guy and never understood all the vitriol for him. It's not like he asked for a 15 yr deal and there's not a single person here that would have said "no" to it either.
I just can't root against Ricky. He loves this team and he loves playing here. Even if I don't think he'll ever return to form, it's not gonna stop me from pulling for the guy.
His contract isn't going anywhere, we have Nabokov signed, why not see how DP does next year? Worst case is he gets hurt again and Poulin/Nilsson take his spot. Best case, we end up with a solid tandem. Don't really see the downside here.
Oh and if the new CBA gives teams a get out of jail free card so to speak, and the Islanders don't use it, then shame on them.
The Ricky saga has to end now.
Let's be honest here, the "get out of jail free" only benefits teams who are fighting against the cap max. In the case of the Islanders if they want to buy him out it makes no difference one way or another(infact I would argue they are more likely to buy him out if it counts towards the cap)
I really hope he can come back to his original form and start playing solid hockey again... I hope he's really sincere and he's gonna try as much as he can, but I got a feeling this aint gonna happen...
A serious team looks at one or two starts max and he rides the bridge to get to those two starts. He earns more, he earns more but EVERY POINT COUNTS AND THE PLAYOFFS WAS THAT TIGHT THIS SEASON.
The Isles? Meh....give him 15 starts and let him have his 4.19GAA and he'll be ripe as rain next year. We're not trying, afterall.
Oh, "the playoffs is our goal. I mean Stanley Cup...." - whatever Garth Snow said at Chipotle that one time.
I feel bad, but the team trumps all. If he earns his playing time over every other goalie, including Montoya, he gets time.
Unfortunately, as we saw with all of our coaching and UFA additions, Boston/New England trumps success.
I wish all the DP haters will get to experience how it feels when something you love to do is taken away from you because of injury. I will always root for a guy that lives & dies orange/blue. Fans today only want self satisfaction but forget about loyalty. If Bossy was playing today with his back issues I bet these so called Isles fans would want him to retire too.
Last edited by PWJunior: 04-07-2012 at 02:17 PM.
Reason: Don't do that.
I wish he'd just retire and take a job within the organization. It'd help the team.
Seriously. He's talking about driving off the Throgs Neck Bridge? You want to stop being a joke? Retire. Be smart with all that money you made, ($4.5 million the past couple years to recover from various surgeries) retire somewhere nice and forget about what could have been.
Nobody makes fun of Yao Ming since he retired. If DiPietro wants to continue to tell everyone he can still be an NHL goaltender and collect next year's $4.5 million, the entire hockey community will continue to treat him like the circus freak he's become. COME SEE THE ALWAYS INJURED MAN START A HOCKEY GAME IN 2013!
He can't have it both ways, but I'd recommend giving retirement a try before suicide.
I just can't root against Ricky. He loves this team and he loves playing here. Even if I don't think he'll ever return to form, it's not gonna stop me from pulling for the guy.
His contract isn't going anywhere, we have Nabokov signed, why not see how DP does next year? Worst case is he gets hurt again and Poulin/Nilsson take his spot. Best case, we end up with a solid tandem. Don't really see the downside here.
I don't think anyone roots against him, but theres a point of no return with Rick, and we passed it a couple years ago. IMO not only can his body not handle being a pro goalie, but I dont think he has the skills to be an NHL goalie anymore. He will be 31 at the start of next season, and it's probably next to impossible for him to revert to the goalie he was 5 years ago. It's time for him to retire.
I wish all the DP haters will get to experience how it feels when something you love to do is taken away from you because of injury. I will always root for a guy that lives & dies orange/blue. Fans today only want self satisfaction but forget about loyalty. If Bossy was playing today with his back issues I bet these so called Isles fans would want him to retire too.
I wish people begging for his return would consider WE ARE ISLANDER FANS and want THE TEAM to win.
I wish Rick a long, healthy life and love his mature personality (couldn't STAND him when he was ego boy but the injuries and growing up, getting married and suffering some adversity shaped him into a likable, charming guy who I root for - but not as a losing goalie on a team where every minute counts.
Bossy wasn't a jerk. Bossy wowed us and we loved his persona from day one and there were no Pickett/Bossy issues with ridiculous circumstance. The back injury was a killer for us fans.
DP? The contract, his inability to show discipline, his overrating fans and his inability to play in the crunchtime.....CLEARLY a different circumstance.
If DP can win the starts, more power to him. Yay us. But he will likely be taking playing time from goalies better than him, and that is unacceptable.
It should be to you if the crest on the front means more than the lettering on the back.
