The Islanders have an All-Star this season, and to no one’s surprise, it’s Rick DiPietro. The 26-year-old goaltender today was named to the Eastern Conference team as a reserve for the All-Star game scheduled Jan. 27 at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Consider this honor the first big dividend on the groundbreaking 15-year contract worth $67.5 million Islanders owner Charles Wang gave to DiPietro before last season. In light of the 13-year deal signed on Thursday by Washington forward Alex Ovechkin and the 12-year contract given recently to Philadelphia forward Mike Richards, the DiPietro deal, which pays $4.5 million every season, is looking more and more as if it could be a steal.
There’s no question DiPietro has been the Islanders’ MVP this season and is the primary reason they are clinging to the eighth playoff spot in the East by percentage points ahead of the Rangers heading into their game against Calgary tonight at the Pengrowth Saddledome. DiPietro plays on a team with the NHL’s 30th-ranked offense at 2.36 goals per game.
One game past the midpoint of the season, DiPietro has a 16-14-5 record with a 2.52 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and two shutouts. Despite taking himself out of one game with a sprained left knee and missing three subsequent games with the injury, the Islanders’ workhorse has logged 2,139:45 in net to rank seventh in the NHL.
The All-Star honor is a first for DiPietro, who is in his sixth NHL season, but it surely won’t be his last. Coach Ted Nolan has spoken often of DiPietro’s growing maturity over the past two seasons. He’s an excellent athlete and expert puckhandler who needed to learn to play within himself a little more and take fewer risks, which he has done this season. At the same time, he’s always capable of making the sensational play.
With this honor, DiPietro should begin to achieve wider recognition around the league. Commenting yesterday on DiPietro’s most recent performance in Vancouver, where he made 43 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss, Calgary coach Mike Keenan said, “Their goaltender was exceptional. He always has been, so, he’s one of the keys. He’s a good athlete, and he’s an aggressive puck manager.”
Describing DiPietro to the hockey media on the Islanders’ current trip through western Canada, Nolan said, “He’s been terrific for us. People here in the west don’t have a chance to see him that much. But we know what kind of goaltender he is, and the people here in the west can see what kind of goaltender we have on Long Island.”
Everyone will get a peek at DiPietro’s talents during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.
Comments (45)
AWESOME!!!!!!!!
Great News!
I agree, great news. DP will be like a kid in a candy store, especially getting to hang out as a teammate with his goaltending idol, Martin Brodeur (who by the way showered him with praise in this week's Sports Illustrated).
505: Frei asked me to post the following for him: "He's a man. He's just a man. He is not a King. He is the just the same as anyone I know. He scares me so."
Yeah ... that should be a give in. DP is an All-Star and will be one for years to come. Is there any $ bonus in his contract coming to DP since he made the All-Star team. He deserves it.
The 4.5 million is definitely a steal, of course as long as he has a healthy, long career. I hope he doesn't burn out playing upwards of 70+ games a year.
Congrats DP!!!
Guess who did not make the team: the KING!!!!!!!!!!!
For the King's sake, I hope he takes some time off to go see his dad. And I gotta wonder if that situation did not play into Henrik not getting selected (or quietly turning it down).
Anyhow, Congrats to DP and the Islander Organization, it is an outstanding honor. (But being a goaltender in an NHL All-Star Game has gotta rank up there with the TV show Deadliest Catch).
Frei,
"He's a man. He's just a man. He is not a King. He is the just the same as anyone I know. He scares me so."
Aren't those the lyrics from an early 70's tune by Chicago?
Congrats to DP on the all star game! Tough to make it as a goalie...definitely a high honor.
On the contract, since it’s come up a couple of times now...I’m very happy things are working out so far, and I feel a little better about it than I did when it was first signed, but let’s not forget we’re just two years into a 15-YEAR deal, and really, I hope we do not offer any more contracts like that in the future - too many risks. Just two of many concerns with these mega-year deals - for goalies or position players: Firstly, god forbid there is a non career ending injury, and the player comes back, but is never the same. Think Turgeon after the Hunter hit, or Lindros after Stevens. Now you’re locked in for a long time and getting little in return, with absolutely no chance of ever getting out from under the deal for virtually that player’s entire career.
More than that, though, you have to build your entire team around one player (or however many you sign to these deals) for well over a decade (think how much changes in sports in that time), and if that player should become one of those sulky head cases, or maybe he’s not the franchise player you thought you were getting (imagine if Ottawa signed Yashin to a deal like this - he was adored up there for a while...) you’re in for a very bumpy ride. You’re also essentially making the player a co-GM, if that’s how he chooses to play his cards, for longer than most real GMs last, since he’s not going anywhere for his whole career and if he’s not content, everything else falls apart.
While there are a couple of GMs playing monkey-see, monkey-do right now, I bet you won’t see some of the more savvy ones, like Lamourillo or Burke, signing off on these types of deals anytime soon. Imo, seven years is more than enough as a show of commitment...and hard enough to get out of if things don’t work (Yashin). I hope things continue to work out with the Isles' deal, but surviving a round of Russian Roulette doesn't mean you should keep playing. No more of these deals, imo.
C'mon 505 no sympathy for Hank please...I mean, yeah the Isles would have handled it totally differently if was DP's dad. But, if he deserved it, wouldn't the league have announced Hank as an All Star, and given him the chance to then decline attending.
Not for anything, but my mom's been through 2 brain surgeries, and no one gave me any paid time off or expected me to perform any differently at work, and I make a piddly salary. The Queen needs to buck up and earn his millions...
Eh, the Rangers fans should worry about Hank and the Rangers. Not us. Plenty of issues to resolve on Long Island to keep us occupied, imo!
505 -- Nope, not by Chicago.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070239/quotes
Oops, that Anonymous was me.
KH,Nick, etc:
On the March public hearing.. I will definitely attend. Just post up some information as the time comes. i am not able to get on here as much as i use to.
Big win tonight. it will be cool to see 23 Nystrom tonight
UIF,
You are correct, it is a gamble. But not as much as you may think.
DP @ $4.5 for 15 years is only $67M. In 5 years the top goalies in the league will be signing $8M contracts. So... for ten years you would have spent ($4.5 x 5) then (8 x 5)... $62.5M.
I would hope the team is covered for the chance of injuries. The only real thing they would have to worry about is lack of performance. Then you might have the highest paid AHL goaltender in the league... but I think Ricky is worth the faith and the investment.
It also says that the organization is here to stay. that's a big WELCOME sign to UFA's... unlike the heads on a stick they've had at the front gates for years. they're still fighting that... Hopefully every battle won gets us closer to winning the war.
I wonder if DP has had to take a Payday Loan yet?
On the long salary issue~
I am in the same mind set as Upstate Isles Fan ... I know that DP is more than worth the $4.5M per year .. that wasn't my problem ... the length by itself isn't a problem considering DP may become the best goalie this franchise has ever known if he can score some cups in that time... that is a big "What if" ... today's hockey with more teams and competition .. not to mention UFA makes it very difficult for teams to win cups even when they are dominant over long periods of time.
My major issue was ... injury .. or just blatant complacency. I know DP is a True Competitor ... so I doubt he'll ever fall into the "Don't care" catagory.... so as long as he stays healthy ... that contract is a huge score.
In the future .... 7 years should be MAX ... and that is only for a proven d-man or forward that will be still under 35 by the time the contract expires. Unless you are talking about a 30 year old player with the skills that Brett Hull had at 30. That is an exception ...
I think depending on who the Isles have in the prospect pool .. they should project their contract lengths in 1, 3, 5 and 7 year lengths. For an example... K.O. starts next season as a 20 year old .... he'll be 23 when the current entry level contract expires .... he's still so young ... if he turns out to be improving upon every season ... and a major player on the team ... toss him a 7 year deal that is loaded up with incentives.
At the 5 or 6 year mark of the deal ... include a possible extra signing bonus for a 3 or 5 year extension .... this gives both Kyle and the team a chance to reward each other for loyalty .. and by that time the Isles will know what the fair market value for Kyle will be before he enters the UFA market... if Kyle opts out and wants to persue the UFA after the contract expires ... it lets the Isles know before the final season begins ... that they may need to look at UFA to replace him ... this way they aren't playing catch up if a player pulls up stakes surprising the organization.. it's fair to both parties.
Congrats Ricky!!! Great day and great news for Islanders fans to finally see our boy get the recognition he deserves!!
And aw, too bad for the queen lundqvist not getting selected. Makes the whole roster announcement even better. Take that rag$ fans.
Way to go Ricky!!!!
yep, point taken JP. The dollars are without a doubt agreeable, and the value will get even better over time. I just think think they'd have also worked out nicely on a 7-year deal, without the risks that come with doubling the years. Heck, maybe in a rare, extreme case like Ricky's you go with 10...but they went 50% over that, even. The injury that I'd be more concerned about is not a career-ending one, which they'd hopefully be insured against. It's the one where the player keeps playing, but is clearly not same ability-wise as before the injury. Maybe that's more of a concern with position players, who could be lined up by a big D-man or could be given a dangerous cheap shot by an "agitator" like Tootoo. If that happens to Alex O, suddenly the deal doesn't seem so smart, and they have him signed for a long, long time.
the only reason DP was picked over Hank is because the Isles needed an All Star rep.... Hank has more wins, better GAA and 3x as many shutouts...
Sorry Busey, but Rick has a better GAA, .912 to .906. Check ESPN.com. Lundqvist has 2 more wins, but the Rangers have played two more games. Nor is it required that the Isles have an All-Star representative. DP was chosen on merit, as you'd know if you'd seen him against the Canucks the other night.
Sorry your goalie didn't get picked, now crawl back to the Rag blog.
Correction, I meant save percentage, not GAA, obviously.
UIF,
"Eh, the Rangers fans should worry about Hank and the Rangers. Not us. Plenty of issues to resolve on Long Island to keep us occupied, imo!"
Fair enough Upstate Isles fans. I won't ask D-money what continent he was living on when his mom had her surgeries.
OK Sport's Fans.
Calgary tonight.
Fasten your seatbelts. Calgary got embarassed at home by the Coyotes the other night (how many times have we had that theme so far this year). They're facing an "All-Star Goalie"
Teddie better have our boys ready tonight.
I'm thinking he may want to consider a tactic from an earlier Ranger game and ice the puck about 11 times in the 1st period.
King Henrik has a better GAA (2.41-2.52) and he has a league leading 6 Shutouts, DP has 2. He also has 2 more wins than DP. DP has the advantage on save % (.912-.906) but that's it. King Henrik got snubbed. They threw the Islanders a bone.
Busey/Chris - yeah, could care less about the stats because the Rags are are behind the Isles in the standings, where they always belong, and your goalie is not an all-star.
Just the facts man.
And 505 - don't matter if I was here or in Timbuktu, the distance does not make a difference when you have a family member going through anything like that. It's hard, but we all plow through if we have the cahones.
Rag fans are so pathetic aren't they? Guess your team is such a misery at this point all you have left is to come here and whine about the All-Star team. Look, the GAA stat is obviously less meaningful than save percentage because a goalie with a higher save percentage but a worse GAA must be facing many more shots. And that's largely the team's fault, not the goalie's. Wins also depend on the team's performance as a whole. In other words, DP is better in the most important stat. And there are two other stats you forgot that are pretty damning of Lundqvist. First, Lundqvist has given up 5 or more goals 6 times this season already, DP only twice. Second, DP is 3-1 against Lundqvist this season. (That one's my favorite...)
In any case, all goalie statistics are context-dependent to a greater or lesser degree. Brodeur looked very mortal at the beginning of the year when the Devils were playing poor defense and now he looks like the old Marty, with stats that blow away Lundqvist (23 wins, 2.11 GAA, .920 save percentage). Does that mean that Brodeur went from much inferior to Lundqvist to far superior? No, it means statistics are of some, but limited value (though Brodeur is better of course -- Rag fans chanting "Henrik's better" is an embarrassment to the entire league and now you have to eat it). One has to watch a goaltender play to really judge his performance. And Ricky's had an awful lot of extraordinary games this year like the one a few nights ago in Vancouver. The *Vancouver* announcers said that DP was the 1st, 2d and 3d star of the game, even though the Isles lost! Ricky was voted to the All-Star team because all around the league people who've seen him play this year have been impressed. Did you see Brodeur's comments in SI this week? Sure sounds like he thinks DP's better than Lundqvist.
Now run along...
Rags fans .. I usually don't respond to your posts .... but please. Don't come here and complain and expect sympathy.
First off a GAA stat is also a reflection of a team defense .. but a goalie has most of control of his GAA ... but not all control of ... 2nd ... wins .. is also a team stat ... more so than GAA ... plus Rags have played 2 more games than Isles .. 3rd .. shutouts also have to do with team defense .. and even offense ... and true enough .. a great goalie accomplishment ... but shutouts are a team effort.... SAVE % is a pure goalie stat ... with a small reflection of team D ... which affects the quality of the saves ... and with MAB on the Isles ... you can be assured that DP has had to make some dazzling saves. DP's SA % is .912 to KH's .906 ... Head to Head ... DP beat Henrik .. so he gets the nod.
I honestly felt there was a chance all 3 all star goalies from the East would be Brody, DP and Henrik... but I was wrong.
I think the Rags have more to worry about than who makes the All-Star game. You guys should be thankful that maybe the all star break will give Henrik a chance to get his head together and see his Dad.
We as Isles fans have our own concerns too ... so take the all-star snub with a grain of salt.
LOL!!! KH and I schooled them on stat value.
I hate to admit it fellas, but henrik did have way more votes than DP... Last I checked about a week ago..so did Biron last I looked. How much of the process has to do with fan votes
themass ... yeah ... however ... even if it was between say Ryan Miller and Henrik ... and they both had the same exact stats ... with the Rangers based in NYC ... Henrik has a fan base advantage based just on population ... so fan votes become a popularity / name recognition contest.
Henrik had a great first 1/4 of a season ... then evened out .. but lately .. just a downward spiral .. at least Ricky had a couple of bad games ... and that is it. You add a couple more Brendan Witts and add a Pronger type player to the Isles .... and Rick's stats will be even better.
Lots of "What if's?" ... but true enough.
Speaking of the Rags and Lunqvuist... The Canucks & the NHL have excused Luongo from playing in the All Star Game and he will also miss 1 or 2 games after so he can be with his wife in South Florida who is having a complicated pregnancy. Hmmm, if Luongo can be excused for a family emergency why can't Lundqvist? I guess the Garden management really are class-less.
Is it possible that Tambellini might not get another call up until after the trade deadline (unless there is an injury that needs to be filled)? Maybe the thinking of the Islanders brass is that Tambellini holds more trade value going into the trade deadline (if we are buyers) as a top prospect ready for the NHL instead of an NHL player who has shown he can't produce at the NHL level?
Listen to the video on newsday.com of Kyle Okposo and listen to what his coach says about how & what type of players the Islanders organization is trying to develop.
Rags fans are pathetic. If you want to keep this plain and simple in the DP v. Henrik analysis, just look at the teams they play for. The Rags are stacked yet remain behind the Isles in the standings. The Isles employ a group of deteriorating vets yet are only where they are in the standings due to DP's heroics thus far. DP carries the Isles, where Lundqvist has yet to this season. That's the reason DP is an allstar. Forget stats.
Votes don't matter. That's just a popularity contest for the fans.
Yeah, DP got less votes from the "fans" than the Queen did, but obviously, as stated by 19Isle, he has the population of NYC to thank for that. Even though LI is the neighbor, there is no denying the Rags grab the spotlight. And, I have no idea how the system is weighted (fan votes vs. media vs. NHL selections), but regardless...
DP got selected, and the Queen did not.
Sorry to flame any fires between the fans of these teams, but I am pretty tired of hearing that DP plays second fiddle to the Queen and Marty, and I think between the SI article(s) and the All-Star selection, we can put that argument to rest. Had to gloat a little about that.
I'd take Mantle over Mays or Snider any day
Thought this was a pretty cool quote...though probably easier to make after you sign a record deal :)
"Hockey is my life," [Ovechkin] said with another shrug, "and money is money. ... If you think about money, you stop playing hockey."
505, nice reference. So I guess instead of Willie, Mickey, and the Duke, it's Marty, Ricky, and the Queen.
Fantasy Hockey Fans ...
I'm not sure this is the appropriate venue to post this ... but ..
The commish of my league is going to attempt putting our league on the internet next season so more people can participate and so that we can operate our teams more efficiently.
We've had 5 great seasons ... and are in the middle of our 6th. Every all-star weekend most get together and make some trades and award extra "player salary" points to the teams who have all-stars on their roster.
We are considering expanding the league to 5 leagues. 3 / 20 team leagues ... and 2 / 30 team leagues (advanced). Right now we are just 20 teams.
History~
The league started out for charity following 9/11 .. so our trophy is called the Freedom Cup. The Freedom Cup is shaped as a fireman's helmet upside down.
Now the league is retiring the cup, and starting from scratch out of respect. Even though some feel changing the name is disrespectful .. most think it's inappropriate since the charity organization we dontated to has been defunct since 2004 ... and that we should move on.
The commish wants to get an idea of anyone who would be interested in being part of the league expansion. He's renting out a party room in North Jersey for the All-Star Game (if they let him mount his dish to watch the game on Vs.). People who are interested in joining may participate in league voting regarding issues for next season, which includes name change and league rules. The voting is only to weed out issues for our Summer meeting. They are kind of like the presidential primaries in a way.
I'll have more info later if there are interested parties on this blog. I need more Isles fans in this league ... it's full of Rangers fans & Devils fans ... Ranger fans dominate the executive committee which includes the Commish, Treasurer and VP .. a Devil fan is the Secretary ... No Isle fan is part of the executive committee... which will be changed with the new league. They are all great people ... but I need more Isles fans. We have 20 owners and 2 are Isle fans other than myself.
Oh .. and yes .. a Ranger fan has the rights to DP. Go figure.
All our transactions have been done via email so far ... so I look forward to having the league morph into a 21st century entity. Because of the labor intensive way we do trades ... we haven't had many transactions. And No ... we don't use Yahoo's fantasy league ... it couldn't be customized enough for our league's rules.
Well more info to come ... If anyone is interested ... I will not waste board time with this if no one wants in.
Steady...
Hillman is a radio show up outside of Boston which heavily promotes "Man town". I think that was your second mantown reference so I thought maybe you were fan.
If so I was going to point and laugh, it is friday afterall ;)
Lets go Isles tonight!
Just finished watching K.O.s interview from yesterday's practice ... OMG ... that has to be the longest interview in AHL history (over 20 mins) ... that poor guy ... he was yawning so many times. LOLOL!!
Too funny!!
I meant to use the actual time of the inteview (12 mins +) .... the piece was 20 mins plus ... still a long interview.
Healy~ No never heard the guy...Is he on WEEI? Those guys drive me nuts! Thank God for Sirius Radio !!!
Congrats DP...You more than deserve it! Make sure you are healthy and that kneww is 100% !!! We need you!
above was me!
Nick,
"So I guess instead of Willie, Mickey, and the Duke, it's Marty, Ricky, and the Queen."
The parallels between what is going on in the NY area right now as pertains to hockey ARE SO similar to what was going on in Baseball in NY in the 50's that, as Yogi might say, "It's Deja Vu all over again". (Not that I REMEMBER the 50's , but I consider myself of student of baseball).
Three teams with passionate fans, locked in a daily emotional struggle for bragging rights. Loyalties that cross family lines. Rivalries that are bitter and sometimes violent.
Each team with a bonafide ALL STAR in a key position (i.e. goalie/centerfielder) each team's fans claiming theirs is the best.
GOTTA LOVE IT!!
It's was great for NY back then, It was outstanding for baseball back then.
It's great for hockey right now, it remains to be seen whether Toronto will ALLOW it to be outstanding for hockey right now.
And by that I mean,
MR BETTMAN, MR CAMPBELL, GET THIS RIVALRY FROM THE NY AREA ON THE NATIONAL STAGE!!!!!
Just an opinionated rant.
correction:
"It's great for hockey right now, it remains to be seen whether Toronto will"
Should read:
It's great for "NY" right now, it remains to be see whether Toronto...
Where's that damn "edit last post" icon
Well deserved for DP. This shows that he is growing an getting closer to being an elite goalie in the NHL. He is the backbone and soul of this team, just imagine if we had some scorers on this team.
Sal
NYISLANDERSCOUNTRY.COM
Where are all those "experts" who ridiculed Charles Wang for the DiPietro contract? After the Richards and Ovechkin deals, DP is already a huge bargain and Wang is now beginning to look more like a visionary than an eccentric.
WOW ... 3 goals in one period ... 3 goals by two of the guys that get beat up on in this blog.
For everyone who thinks the Wang contract looks good now, remember he's only in his SECOND year of the deal. Who knows how he'll be in a few years, he could be terrible? You just have to wait it out.