From a media perspective, trying to determine the Islanders' starting goaltender by watching the pre-game skate has been a confusing task. On several occasions when he was deemed healthy enough to play, Rick DiPietro has left the ice first, which is the usual tipoff that he's the starter.
But as happened Monday in Edmonton, it was backup Joey MacDonald who started the game after finishing the pre-game skate as the goaltender taking shots from the remaining players on the ice. DiPietro, who returned from a strained groin to start last Friday in Phoenix, indicated he was in good health, but it apparently was decided Monday afternoon that he would take a little more time with his groin rather than rush back too soon.
"I want him to feel comfortable, and we're not going to put him in a situation where he's not," Islanders coach Scott Gordon explained today after practice. "If he wants another day of practice, take another day of practice. If he comes in tomorrow and says, I'd rather wait three more days, then, so be it. But he's ready to play, and that's it. It's a conversation him and I have on a daily basis. There's nothing more to it than that."
DiPietro went through the full practice today and stayed out extra to test some new catching gloves, so, it appears he's gearing up to face the Flames tomorrow night at the Pengrowth Saddledome. But it's never certain until he steps on the ice, and really, he's spent too much time on the injured list this season to risk another more lengthy injury because he came back too soon.
ISLES FILES: D Freddy Meyer sat out practice with a groin strain, but no timetable for his return was announced. D Radek Martinek, who missed the past 17 games since injuring his right shoulder against Ottawa on Nov. 29 took part in practice and looks ready to go…The official announcement of Eastern Conference All-Star reserves will be made at noon ET on Thursday, and it appears certain the Islanders will be represented.
Comments (12)
The all star reserves....why does every team need to be represented? Do the islanders deserve that? No, its a silly entitlement. Hockey is about passion, hitting, scoring, fighting, rivalry.
We dont hit, cant score, have no passion or fighters, and our once proud rivalry with the Rag Dolls is nihl. Its sad when hockey has to give a handout to each team, but, in a tribute to Obamanomics, I quess welfare is here to stay.
Get PRIDE NYI!
Duhhhhhhhhhhhhh what's a blue line ? Duhhhhhhhhhh Rangers rule. Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
The Morning Tauk, we have a player who leads the NHL in points by a defenseman.
I'd say yes, certain Isles deserve to be there.
I agree geli.....Streit should go !!
Why is Simm on this team??? I still do not get it !
***Anyone see what Ruutu did ? Remember last year when I stuck up for Simon and said it is the punks like Avery, Tucker, and Ruutu that need to go NOT the goons............Well Avery is OUT of the sport. Look what Tucker did to Peca back in the day, and now Ruutu BITES SOMEONE !!!!
Yet Campbell only gives him two games ..... Simon got how many ????? WHAT A JOKE !!!
CAMPBELL MUST BE FIRED !!!! Still mad Gillies used him as a punching bag for all those years !
Pipe down steady. I'm gonna hit you with a brick one day. First I am gonna rip the Ranger losers also.
The brick layer is up late tonight...wee one has a day off from school? I predicted that Ruutu would punk out and here it is...this league has too many agitators, not enough finishers.
First line of biz, sign a legit enforcer !!!
HET GARTH, WE NEED PROTECTION. Bobblehead.
of course the Islanders will be represented @ the All-Star game, the league mandates that all 30 teams are represented at the game
of course the Islanders will be represented @ the All-Star game, the league mandates that all 30 teams are represented at the game
DiPietro comes before the team and it's flat-out confirmed by the moron coach. Just add it to the list of things of how this organization does things wrong.
Isn't it one of the first things you learn in sports ... No one is bigger than the team! Not even an average, American-born NHL goaltender is bigger than his team. Except in Islanders country of course.
What a joke!
John... this team is a joke but I don't get what you're saying. There's nothing wrong with making sure DP is ready to go. He always wants to play no matter what, so if he's not ready to start (hopefully because of rust) then why force it. Frankly at this point the less he plays the better. When he starts playing consistently and gets that "timing" back he's only going to slow our decline.
The game in Edmonton has horse sh......
If an organization wants to make his average No. 1 goaltender bigger than the team by letting him play when he wants and sit when he wants, fine. But the staff shouldn't be naive and say so multiple times in the media. No one is bigger than the team. They are completely babying this guy and have been since Day 1 of his arrival as if he's the next Patrick Roy. No offense to Joey McDonald, but there were a handful of legitimate goalies out there who could have come cheap and played better than McDonald. I'm not saying MCDonald has played terrible, but they knew DiPietro was going to miss a lot of time this year, yet they didn't address the goalie situation. Why not bring in a Khabibulian or even a guy like Kolzig? I'll tell you why. Because a player like that is more likely to have gone on a great run and DiPietro would have had a problem with it. He's bigger than the team and always has been. That's the number one issue with this organization. This guy has as much power as Wang.
Good points John. Yet another example of veterans overwhelming Gordon and his ability to provide consistent rules and leadership to his players.