There’s no mistaking the concern of Islanders fans about the 15-year contract signed by goaltender Rick DiPietro this season, and it came through loud and clear Saturday night when the Nassau Coliseum crowd called for backup Mike Dunham after DiPietro gave up three first-period goals in a 4-1 loss to Atlanta.
Every goaltender has off nights, but it’s as though signing that landmark deal has raised the bar of expectations for DiPietro. As he said after the game, the contract didn’t gift him with “superpowers,” and if the fans are looking for nightly perfection, “It isn’t going to happen.”
Excuse DiPietro if he was agitated after a rough outing. He simply was saying that he’s human and mistakes are inevitable.
And that’s at the root of the problems a 15-year deal creates. Anyone would have signed for the security represented by such a $67.5 million deal. But athletes are human, and their performance is subject to fluctuations on a daily basis, never mind over a 15-year term.
Take DiPietro out of the equation. It would have been a huge risk to sign Hank Aaron or Babe Ruth to a 15-year deal (Okay, maybe not Wayne Gretzky, whose 21-year deal with former Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington was a personal services contract that obviously didn’t make it impossible for the Oilers to trade him).
Too much is subject to chance. Isles owner Charles Wang might have fixed the price of his top goaltender at $4.5 million per year, but a goalie is not an inanimate commodity like porkbellies whose value can be fixed forever at point of purchase.
Hot streaks alternate with rough spells and bouts of confidence on a regular basis. You need look no further for proof than the early travails this season of the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist, who has given way lately to Kevin Weekes as the starter. No doubt, Lundqvist will regain his touch and his job at some point.
But that speaks to the other major problem posed by a 15-year deal. How does it handcuff a coach in the decision-making process?
If his top goaltender had just signed, say, a five-year deal, would Nolan have hesitated to pull him after a bad first period? Hard to say. Maybe, as Nolan said after the game, it was best to allow the goaltender to fight through a tough situation. There’s plenty of merit to that argument, and Nolan’s decision turned out well.
But did it cross the coach’s mind that he might be viewed as showing up the owner if he pulled the goaltender in that spot? It’s a fair question.
Before the Atlanta game, I asked Thrashers goaltender coach Steve Weeks about his team’s decision earlier this season to pull Johan Hedberg at the end of a tie game and put regular starter Kari Lehtonen in net for the shootout. Weeks said it was a move planned in advance because Lehtonen ranked No. 1 among goalies last season in shootouts.
If the goaltender being pulled had a 15-year deal, however, Weeks admitted it might have had some bearing on the situation. “Would [the contract] come into play?” Weeks said with a smile. “Yeah, probably somewhat, but I don’t know.”
He added that most coaches focus on the game or the season in front of them since that’s where they have the most control. That’s what Nolan said the day the deal was signed.
But you wonder if a coach’s control is undermined by a deal of that length in the sense that he has little leverage with a player destined to be around much longer than he is. The same goes for a general manager. If a top goaltending prospect is available in the draft, does Garth Snow take a pass because the franchise only has room for backup types?
The list of “what ifs” goes on and on. Even DiPietro is affected in the sense that he’s keenly aware of the reaction to his contract and, as a competitor, is likely to feel more internal pressure to perform and justify the deal.
There’s simply no escaping the fact that every move the Islanders’ goaltender makes this season -- and maybe for many to come – will be judged in the context of his 15-year contract. It’s going to take some getting used for everyone, fans included.
Comments (21)
Awesome entry Greg! The effects brought on by the DiPietro contract need to be discussed in the media more often. The money doesn't annoy me as much as the length of the deal. The real problem that I have with it is that the contract is based entirely on potential and not on real life accomplishments. DP has barely improvemed over the last few seasons. He is NOT one of the top 10 goalies in the league and he's probably not even in the top 20 goalies in the league at this point, statistically AND in terms of improvement and consistency. He plays like he just got into the league and people are still saying he's "maturing", well he's 25 and by the time he matures he'll probably be 30 and with his "athletic" style, his body, (particularly his knees considering he spend 30 minutes a game on them) will probably be on the decline in his 30's.
I feel bad that Ted Nolan is stuck in this situation with this kid. Obviously his decisions have to be influenced by the contract at one point or another. Such as we HAVE to go with Ricky because "Ricky is our guy"... no matter what.
DP doesn't even know what he got himself into with this contract because I KNOW he can't perform up to expectations. He can barely perform slightly below expectations. He is terrible, plain and simple, just not a good goalie. There are younger goalies in this league who are performing better and some of them looked better in their rookie season (Ryan Miller) than DiPietro ever has in his whole career. DP was obviously just an overhyped goalie who played the puck but has very little technical skill. Unfortunately, that doesn't cut it in the NHL.
To justify the 15-year contract, DP should be expected to have superpowers. But it's not even that. I dropped $100 that game only to see DP make the same mistake three times! It's also not like he has been particularly fantastic in the other games this season either. It's not just one bad game. His stats are very poor and if last year's are any indication, they likely won't improve much. So it hurts to have to lose money on a game when the coach can't take out the player that's making the costly mistakes because of a foolish decision made by the owner (and player).
The DiPietro contract is going to drive fans away from the Islanders unless he IS superhuman. Who wants to see another spoiled rich kid do whatever he wants and get away with it? We have enough of them on Long Island as it is.
Amen Tom. DiPietro has a snowball's chance in becoming a hockey goalie hero. So we have a 15 year hex on us. The fact that this kid was signed for 15 years without EVER proving himself in the league drives me insane. Just signing a guy to a long term deal because you have a "hunch." That's not what hockey minds do and it's not even what business minds do! So what the *#$&@! were you thinking Wang? You just bought yourself a 15 year headache and a 15 year guarantee of never winning the cup or even a few playoff rounds. Still glad you fired Niel Smith in a temper tantrum so you could play God? One day you're gonna have to realize, Mr. Wang that you are not all-knowing.
Does anyone really have any idea what DIpietro will or wont turn into? No. To speculate is pointless and irrelevant. The Isles have a "#1 goalie" signed for 15 years. Yes its wacky, but its 4.5M a year period, done. SO now we see what Dipietro will be. Its not my $, so I dont care. Theres alot of pressure on such a young goalie...he needs alot of maturation and STOP COMING OUT OF THE DANG NET SO OFTEN!!! He has the potential, NYI coaching/management must harness it. It wont come immediately, if at all. Just have to wait and see...
So was Dipietro benched tonight vs TB, or was he injured??? Horrible loss btw, but thats not my point. Did Nolan bench Ricky?! If so, I love the move even though Isles got shelled 5-1 with DUnham in goal.
In all fairness to Dunham none of those goals were his fault. I was at the game and the crowd was cheering when it was announced that Dunham was in. As crazy as it sounds, he kept them in the game tonight. They kept getting beat on back door plays.
I would talk about the DP contract, but I don't feel like giving myself a heart attack. I will say that it's very frustrating that he continues to wander out of the net. How many times does he have to get burned before he realizes that it's better to stop the puck than go for assists?
I will say that I do like Wang. If not for him buying the team who knows where the Isles would be now. We should all be fair and acknowledge that fact. However, it's also really frustrating being a laughing stock.
I'm looking forward to the future though with guys like Okposo, O'marra, and Comeau ...
I can't believe some of these fans....
DOES ANYONE REMEMBER WHAT A DISASTER WE WERE BEFORE CHARLES WANG?????
This guy has come in....improved the Coliseum, improved out hockey club, made going to a game an enjoyable experience....and we have completely villified him. For what...signing a young goalie to a very large contract??...remember when we would just trade young players instead of having to pay them? Ricky is a great talent....and if anyone thinks that $4.5 million will handcuff us with the salary cap 10 years from now is nuts....this will work out in the end.
It's understandable that people are upset with ticket prices being completely ridculous....I am one of those people....but I'm not going to blame Ricky or Yashin....or any of the players for that matter....Charles has come in here and has given us at least a chance....if people think we're a joke of a franchise because we fired a GM after 40 days....what were people thinking when we had a fake owner?....or when another owner wanted to operate on a 5 million dollar budget?....or when we moved out of the Coliseum because of hoist gate??
Can anyone honestly tell me we're in a worse situation now than we were 10 years ago?
Personally other than the last 2 games....I have been pretty impressed with how we've played....
Finally, some sense...I can't understand why the Isles have been vilified either, because there would doubtlessly be more turmoil around this organization if they kept an unhappy Neil Smith as GM. I don't understand all these cheap jokes about us being the laughingstock of pro sports (it appears to be paying the salary of Scott Burnside from ESPN.com), and I would personally love to see us make some noise in the playoffs just to shove it in the naysayers' faces. The future is bright, we have hope, and let's stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and support the team.
does anybody know how to run a team.a 15 year contract,are you serious
I truly don't think anyone faults DP for taking this contract. The fact remains however that this is the stupidest contract ever offered up in pro sports history. Yashin's might be #2. Which just points to the fact that Charles Wang has no idea what he is doing.....and frankly that's why the fans are staying away. We all support the players who are there, the new coach - we root for the jersey, because we know players come and go. DP is at "best" an average goalie and under the new rules; a roaming goalie with a good stick is practically useless. No one gets to compete to be our goalie for the next 15 years ? The fans on Long Island are very savvy...beyond hockey decisions - we recognize when something is fundamentally wrong - and those fans are not going to invest hard earned $$ in an ownership direction that is clueless. This contract will turn out to be a cancer on this organization - not any fault of players or coaches - it's all on Charles Wang and his moron side kick - Mike Milbury.
Who are all these people saying Dipietro isnt a good goalie? Or he'll never be a good goalie? To ALL these people, I say stop the ignorance. Nobody can have an idea what Rico will or wont become. The kid has potential but he is VERY immature and comes out of the net much too often. To proclaim RD as anything less or more is ignorant and very premature.
Right Mike T, which is exaclty why it was ridiculously stupid to offer a fifteen year contract to a goalie when according to your own admission, "Nobody can have an idea what Rico will or wont become."
1. The NHL player's collective bargaining agreement ends/expires years before DP's contract does. Let me repeat for people whom may have to rub their eyes after reading: THE NHL CBA EXPIRES YEARS BEFORE DP'S DOES!!! Any contract that expires WAY after the CBA does is a stifling embarassment, no two ways about it.
2. DP is 25 yrs. old not 19. The way some talk about him makes it sound like he is a baby, but he is 25, folks!!! There are a few NHL goalies whom have hit their stride at 27,28, but NONE were offered 15 year contracts!!
3. A 15 year deal under a hard cap is suicide.
4. Magic Johnson and Wayne Gretzky both proved their greatness before getting landmark contracts of DP's stature. Magic won a championship, already.
What incentive does this kid have too play? Career ending injury and he's gauranteed his money. Terrible deal. Another Yashin deal, too stupid for words!
Great to see that ricky gets newsday and its amateur isles coverage staff and FSN as part of his Public Relations team....
The other night - against Atlanta - the "I'm not perfect" game...Howie and Jaffe went to great, great lengths to not blame the goals on red light ricky, now there is a whole blog entry trying to convince us/guilt us into giving poor little ricky a break. This is getting to be the last few straws my camelback can withstand.
He is a hockey player and if he sucks, he should suck it up and admit it, not get all defensive and he should definitely not get his lackeys (FSN and Newsday) to defend his impossible position.
1) News Flash to those who are surpised that Isle's fans are mad at Wang: He deserves it!
2) Just because he's marginally better than his predicessors only cuts him so much slack
3) His moves (Yashin/DiPietro contracts), along with the Neil Smith Garth Snow fiascos have used up that slack.
4) Add to that his unwillingness to fire Milbury, AND the fact that the Isles haven't won as much as a playoff series in 12 years, and you get fan discontent.
5) the fact that there are ANY Isles fans left is a testament to how good Isles fans are!
Its obvious that Wang and Milbury have turned the Islanders into a good ol' boys club. They only hire guys they know and sign their little boy DP on for life. The Islanders are nothing more than a pawn in Wang's plan to develop more real estate. Fan should rise as one and slay him.
Ricky is a great guy--personable, young etc...But, he is not a great golatender. I dont care what they pay him--he's avaerage at best. Just like his team .
I miss Billy Smith. I miss the good old days of hits and fights. I miss real hockey.
Rick is arrogant without merit.
The Isles are soft.
"Ricky is a great guy--personable, young etc..."
Maybe on TV, but in real life, Rick is a totally arrogant jerk. Of course he's going to appear nice on TV and at signings, it is part of his job. Believe me, everyone who has met him outside of that context, myself included, knows that he is one of the biggest phoney losers on the planet.