3:10 pm: According to Newsday's Art Staple and his "sources," the NY Islanders are NOT in the Danny Briere race. However, the New Jersey Devils are. BOOOOOOOO...
Okay, if we can get a munchkin, how about Nathan Gerbe from Buffalo? He would be the only person in the locker room I could look directly in the eye.
12:29 pm: Done Deal. Rick DiPietro has been bought out by the Islanders.
The New York Islanders announced today that the team has used a compliance buyout on the contract of goaltender Rick DiPietro.
DiPietro, 31, played the entirety of his professional career within the New York Islanders organization. He appeared in a total of 318 career National Hockey League games, putting him second on the club’s all-time goaltender list behind Billy Smith, and finished with a career record of 130-136-8-28. DiPietro also played in 10 NHL playoff games, posting a record of 2-7.
As Chris Botta of the SBJ said today on SiriusXM NHL Radio, had Rick been picked fifth in the draft and if he had signed a contract of only 7 or 8 years, he would not have become the butt of so many jokes about the Islanders. But due to bad luck and injury, the athlete who only wanted to win as an Islander became the symbol of all that was wrong with the franchise. It was unfortunate and not completely fair.
And now, he can play for another team if he so choses and get his life in order.
7 am: In a surprising find this morning on Facebook,
here is an article in the NY Times written by veteran hockey writer
Jeff Z. Klein on Rick DiPietro's contract buyout. What is surprising is not just that the NY Times has an article about the Islanders in the off-season, but that it also includes ACTUAL quotes from Islanders owner Charles Wang.
How did he manage that? Did he tie him to a chair? I'm just a little surprised. But the article has some great information in it.
First piece of information, we can finally lay to rest that Garth Snow gave Rick the 15-year-contract. He may have been the one in the room signing it, but as I've said many times before -- it was all Charles Wang. According to the article, it was even the beginning of the end for then Isles GM, Neil Smith.
So as the hours until noon tick away before RDP's waiver period ends, read Jeff's article and harken back to the time when maybe, had Rick had a Marty Broduer style career, this 15-year-deal would have been a really good idea.
Sideboards: I am beginning to really wonder what Garth Snow will do about filling the holes in his team. The free agent pool seems to be thinning and while many names are being thrown around by the fan base, there is nothing concrete coming out of the Isles camp.
Speaking of Camp; don't forget the scrimmage on Thursday, July 11th. Your first glimpse of the newest Isles prospects along with some you may see on Bridgeport and even on the Islanders. Tickets are only $10 and it is so very worth it. Should be a fun evening of hockey in July.
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