Rick DiPietro

Richard W. DiPietro Jr. (born September 19, 1981) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current co-host of ESPN 98.7 FM's "DCR" with Chris Canty and Dave Rothenberg.[2] On June 24, 2000, DiPietro became the first of two goaltenders in history selected first overall in an NHL Entry Draft when he was chosen by the New York Islanders. The second being Marc-André Fleury three years later. [3][4] In 2006, the team signed him to a groundbreaking 15-year, $67.5 million contract,[5] but a string of injuries beginning in 2008, which limited him to 50 NHL appearances over the next five seasons, led to a contract buyout on July 2, 2013, with eight years remaining on his contract.[6][7] DiPietro retired after being released by the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) on November 26, 2013, with whom he had signed a tryout contract on October 25.[8] Multiple hockey writers consider him to be one of the biggest draft busts in NHL history.[9][10] As a result of his contract buyout, the Islanders will continue to pay DiPietro $1.5 million until the end of the 2028–29 season, leading to DiPietro being referred to as the "Bobby Bonilla of hockey".

Rick DiPietro
DiPietro with the New York Islanders in 2011
Born	September 19, 1981 Lewiston, Maine, U.S.[1]
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Right
Played for	New York Islanders SC Riessersee
National team	United States
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2000 New York Islanders
Playing career	2000–2013

Playing career

As a youth, DiPietro played in the 1994 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Beverly, Massachusetts.[11]

Collegiate

DiPietro attended Saint Sebastian's School. He played one season (1999–2000) with Boston University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Hockey East. In that one year, DiPietro was named to the All-Rookie Team, named Second Team All-Hockey East, awarded the team's co-MVP and was named Hockey East's Rookie of the Year. In addition, DiPietro nearly set the NCAA record for most saves in a game when he stopped 77 out of 80 shots in a 3–2 quadruple overtime loss to St. Lawrence University during the NCAA regional final. In his one and only Beanpot Tournament, DiPietro was named MVP and won the Eberly Trophy awarded to the tournament's top goaltender.

2000–2008

DiPietro was drafted first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, out of Boston University. Islanders general manager Mike Milbury traded incumbent goalie Roberto Luongo to create room for the highly-touted DiPietro, who was known for his mobility and puckhandling skills. DiPietro became the fourth American to occupy the top draft position in the NHL Entry Draft.

A groin injury during training camp resulted in DiPietro starting the season with the Chicago Wolves, the Islanders minor league affiliate in the International Hockey League (IHL). He was subsequently called up twice to join the Islanders, but did not play a game until January 27, 2001, when he debuted against the Buffalo Sabres.[12] DiPietro's NHL debut was widely anticipated, but in 20 games in the 2000–01 season he managed just three wins against 15 losses for a struggling Islanders team. He played ten games the next season, as well as one playoff game, before being called up permanently in the 2003–04 season. His goals against average (GAA) decreased from 3.49 in the 2000–01 season to 2.36 in the 2003–04 season.

DiPetro with the Islanders in 2011.

On September 12, 2006, DiPietro signed a 15-year, $67.5 million contract with the Islanders, topping former teammate Alexei Yashin's contract signed before the start of the 2001–02 season of 10 years.[13] Newsday reported that the team offered him a 15-year contract in September 2005, but the NHL front office discouraged the Islanders from making such an offer. Instead, DiPietro had signed on a one-year deal with the Islanders.

DiPietro's contract, the longest under the 2005 NHL collective bargaining agreement, was nearly surpassed during the 2010 off-season, when the New Jersey Devils attempted to sign Ilya Kovalchuk to a 17-year contract, but that offer was rejected by the NHL on the grounds of salary cap circumvention.[14]

On March 5, 2007, DiPietro broke an Islanders franchise record by making 56 saves in a 2–1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers. The previous record was 55 saves, held by both Félix Potvin and Billy Smith. The record was later broken by Dwayne Roloson in 2009.[15]

On March 13, 2007, DiPietro suffered a concussion after a collision with Montreal Canadiens forward Steve Bégin, when DiPietro raced out to poke check a puck at the blueline at 15:41 of the first period. DiPietro returned for four games but then missed the rest of the regular season after he sustained another concussion in game against the Rangers. He returned to play games two through five of the Islanders' first round playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres.

The concussion was the start of a string of injuries. DiPietro underwent surgery in the 2007 off season to fix a torn labrum in his hip.[16]

In 2007, DiPietro expressed a desire to become more of a team leader. He said, "I'm a competitive person, and I have a tendency to have a short fuse with guys sometimes. That's something, as a leader, that you just can't do."[16]

On November 19, 2007, DiPietro recorded his 100th NHL career win when the Islanders beat the New York Rangers 2–1.[17]

DiPietro was selected to appear in his first and only All-Star Game in 2008 as a reserve, but was later named the starter after New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur dropped out. During the skills competition the night before, DiPietro injured his hip during the shootout competition. DiPietro continued to play until the Islanders no longer had a chance to make the playoffs and on March 19, it was announced that DiPietro would miss the remainder of the 2007–08 season because of the hip surgery.

2008–2013

On June 3, 2008, DiPietro went on a Sirius satellite radio show being hosted by "Bubba the Love Sponge," where he told Bubba he would be undergoing knee surgery later that day. The surgery was done on the meniscus in his left knee. DiPietro sat out the first four games of the 2008–09 season (or, controversially, was on the bench as the backup) before starting the team's fifth game in Florida. He played two games after that, but left after the first period his third game back. After that, he was placed on injured reserve for an "undisclosed lower body injury." On November 1, it was announced DiPietro had undergone another knee surgery after injuring his meniscus. It is unknown whether it is the same knee that was operated on earlier that year. DiPietro returned to the team on December 26, 2008. He won his first game back and earned an assist, which broke Billy Smith's team record for points by a goaltender. On January 20, 2009, Islanders general manager Garth Snow announced that DiPietro would miss the rest of the 2008–09 season due to post-arthroscopic surgical swelling in his right knee.

On January 8, 2010, DiPietro returned from injury in a 4–3 loss to the Dallas Stars. His last start of 2010 came against the Carolina Hurricanes on February 6. He earned his fifth loss in seven starts, as the Islanders fell 3–1. On February 13, he was listed as day-to-day with the flu, and less than a month later, swelling in his left-knee caused him to be placed on the injured reserve list effective March 2, 2010; he did not return for the rest of the season.

DiPietro started the 2010–11 season apparently healthy and worked in a "platoon" tandem with Dwayne Roloson. On December 21, 2010, he was placed on injured reserve, however, due to knee swelling. He returned in December, though due to the strong play of Roloson, he was primarily used as a backup. He made his first start since returning on December 29 in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. DiPietro and the Islanders defeated Pittsburgh in a 2–1 shootout decision behind the sharp play of DiPietro. On December 31, the Islanders traded Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning, confirming the starting job for DiPietro. On February 2, 2011, In his first game against the Penguins since his shootout win, DiPietro engaged in a rare "goaltender fight" against Pittsburgh's Brent Johnson in the final seconds of the game. He was knocked out and had his jaw broken by a single punch to the face by Johnson. The injuries kept him off the ice for weeks.[18] It is not known if the knee swelling was from the fight or another reason. DiPietro returned shortly to finish the season, wearing the old helmet and cage combo worn by former Islanders goaltender Chris Osgood.

The start of the 2011–12 season featured DiPietro in a three-way tandem with Al Montoya and Evgeni Nabokov. Due to a strong pre-season and his performances in DiPietro's absence the previous year, Montoya started the first two games and DiPietro was the backup. During practice for the Islanders' third game, DiPietro took a hard shot to his mask from Brian Rolston, which concussed him and sidelined him indefinitely. DiPietro returned to action in late October, returning to the more conventional one piece goaltender mask he sported for the majority of his career. On November 5, 2011, DiPietro made 25 saves to earn his first win of the 2011–12 season. Shortly after, he injured his groin and was again out indefinitely; he later required surgery to repair a hernia in the area, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.

After playing only three games in the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, DiPietro was waived by the Islanders and was sent to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He had eight years remaining on his NHL contract.[19] DiPietro started his first game as a member of the Sound Tigers on March 1, 2013. He allowed two goals on the first two shots of the game and five in the first period. He did not return from the locker room for the second period of play as the game eventually ended 7–3 in favor of the opposing Connecticut Whale.

DiPietro's series of injuries during the latter part of his NHL career earned him the nickname "Rickety".[20]

On July 1, 2013, the Islanders announced that DiPietro would be placed on unconditional waivers and have the remainder of his contract bought out on a compliance.[21] The buyout was completed 2 days later with DiPietro agreeing to be paid 2/3s of the $36 million he would have been owed over the next 8 years at a rate of $1.5 million per year over the next 16 years.[6][7] DiPietro signed a professional tryout contract on October 25, 2013 with the Carolina Hurricanes' AHL affiliate, Charlotte Checkers,[22] playing his first game 5 days later in which he stopped 25 of 29 shots in a 5–2 loss to the Grand Rapids Griffins.[23] He was cut by the Checkers on November 26.[24]

Post-playing career

After retiring DiPietro turned to radio hosting and is now a talk show host in New York City at ESPN 98.7.[25] In 2019, DiPietro was named the Head Boys' Hockey Coach at the Portledge School.[26]

International play

DiPietro made his international debut at the junior level for the United States at the 1999 IIHF World U18 Championships. He would then play in the two following World Junior Championships in 2000 and 2001, awarded in the former as the tournament's best goaltender and selected to the All-Star Team.

He made his full international debut soon after his WJC experience with the United States at the 2001 World Championships. He would go on to compete for Team USA in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2005 World Championships.

Along with former Islanders teammates Jason Blake and Mark Parrish, DiPietro was named to the United States national hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, in February 2006. DiPietro was the U.S.' number one goaltender for the tournament, starting four of the team's six games. DiPietro played well, sporting a 2.28 GAA, but went 1–3 in the men's tournament.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season											Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1997–98	Saint Sebastian's School	HS-Prep		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	U.S. NTDP Juniors	USHL		3	0	2	0	—	117	8	0	4.09	.886		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	U.S. NTDP U17	USDP		10	6	4	0	—	800	31	0	2.33	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	U.S. NTDP U18	NAHL		30	13	12	0	—	1,602	85	1	3.18	.893		3	2	1	179	7	1	2.35	.904
1998–99	U.S. NTDP Juniors	USHL		30	22	6	1	—	1,733	67	3	2.32	.907		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	U.S. NTDP U18	USDP		16	9	5	1	—	1,027	46	—	2.69	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Boston University	HE		30	18	5	5	—	1,791	73	1	2.45	.913		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	New York Islanders	NHL		20	3	15	1	—	1,083	63	0	3.49	.878		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Chicago Wolves	IHL		14	4	5	2	—	778	44	0	3.39	.880		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	AHL		59	30	22	7	—	3,472	134	4	2.32	.913		20	12	8	1,270	45	3	2.13	.906
2002–03	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	AHL		34	16	10	8	—	2,044	73	3	2.14	.924		5	2	3	299	10	1	2.01	.925
2002–03	New York Islanders	NHL		10	2	5	2	—	585	29	0	2.97	.894		1	0	0	15	0	0	0.00	1.000
2003–04	New York Islanders	NHL		50	23	18	5	—	2,844	112	5	2.36	.911		5	1	4	303	11	1	2.18	.908
2003–04	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	AHL		2	0	2	0	—	119	3	0	1.51	.945		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	New York Islanders	NHL		63	30	24	—	5	3,572	180	1	3.02	.900		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	New York Islanders	NHL		62	32	19	—	9	3,627	156	5	2.58	.919		4	1	3	236	13	0	3.30	.898
2007–08	New York Islanders	NHL		63	26	28	—	7	3,707	174	3	2.82	.902		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	New York Islanders	NHL		5	1	3	—	0	256	15	0	3.52	.892		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	New York Islanders	NHL		8	2	5	—	0	462	20	1	2.60	.901		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	AHL		4	1	2	—	0	199	11	0	3.31	.883		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	New York Islanders	NHL		26	8	14	—	4	1,533	88	1	3.44	.886		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	New York Islanders	NHL		8	3	2	—	3	354	22	0	3.73	.875		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	SC Riessersee	DEU.2		1	0	1	—	0	59	3	0	3.03	.856		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	New York Islanders	NHL		3	0	3	—	0	176	12	0	4.09	.855		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	AHL		18	9	9	—	0	1,022	50	1	2.93	.893		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Charlotte Checkers	AHL		5	0	4	—	0	220	19	0	5.18	.846		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				318	130	136	8	28	18,199	871	16	2.87	.902		10	2	7	554	24	1	2.60	.904

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1999	United States	WJC18		4	—	—	—	—	—	—	3.25	.869
2000	United States	WJC		5	2	2	1	299	9	1	1.81	.935
2001	United States	WJC		6	5	1	0	360	8	1	1.33	.927
2001	United States	WC		3	—	—	—	179	8	0	2.68	.919
2004	United States	WCH		1	1	0	0	60	1	0	1.00	.941
2005	United States	WC		4	2	2	0	250	7	1	1.68	.942
2006	United States	OLY		4	1	3	0	237	9	0	2.28	.893
Senior totals				12	—	—	—	726	25	1	2.07	.922

Awards and honors

Award	Year
College
All-HE Rookie Team	2000
All-HE Second Team	2000
HE Rookie of the Year	2000
New England MVP	2000
AHL
All-Star Game	2002	[27]
NHL
All-Star Game	2008
International
WJC Best Goaltender	2000
WJC All-Star Team	2000

References

1. Doyle, Paul (June 24, 2000). "Can't mask this talent". courant.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
2. Radio Ink (August 21, 2017). "Hahn Gets His Own Show". Retrieved October 9, 2018.
3. "DiPietro first goalie to go first overall". espn.com. November 8, 2000. Retrieved April 3, 2019. Goalie Michel Plasse was the first pick overall by Montreal in 1968 under rules governing the amateur draft.
4. CBC Sports (November 11, 2000). "Goalie goes first in NHL draft". Retrieved October 9, 2018.
5. CBC Sports (September 12, 2006). "DiPietro inks 15-year deal". Retrieved October 9, 2018.
6. The Canadian Press (July 3, 2013). "Islanders officially cut ties with Rick DiPietro, buy out final 8 years of goalie's contract". Retrieved October 9, 2018.
7. Kreda, Allan (July 1, 2013). "Islanders Buy Out DiPietro". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
8. Branecky, Paul (November 26, 2013). "Checkers Release Rick DiPietro". Retrieved October 9, 2018.
9. Slawson, Devin (June 23, 2015). "5 Biggest Busts in NHL Draft History: 2000-2010". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
10. Sadler, Emily (June 24, 2015). "Top 10 biggest busts in NHL draft history". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
11. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
12. Farber, Michael (February 19, 2001). "Teen Angel". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
13. "New York Islanders sign Rick DiPietro to US$67.5-million 15-year deal". The Canadian Press. 2006. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2006.
14. "404".
15. "Led by remarkable Roloson, Isles beat Maple Leafs in OT". ESPN. November 23, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
16. "Without a doubt, DiPietro is Islanders' money man". Newsday. 2007. Retrieved September 16, 2007.
17. New York Islanders - News: THE NYI STAT PACK - DP REACHES A MILESTONE - 21 November 2007 Archived November 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
18. "Islanders' DiPietro out 4-6 Weeks with Face, Knee Injuries". TSN. February 4, 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
19. "Islanders place Rick DiPietro, remaining 8 years of contract, on waivers". February 22, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
20. Hackel, Stu (February 3, 2011). "Red Wings soar; "Rickety" DiPietro sore". SI.com. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
21. "Islanders will buy out DiPietro". Newsday.com. July 1, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
22. "DiPietro signs with Hurricanes' AHL affiliate". NHL.com. October 26, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
23. "DiPietro loses debut with Hurricanes' AHL team".
24. "AHL's Checkers release DiPietro from tryout contract".
25. "New ESPN New York 98.7FM Lineup Debuts September 29". ESPN Media Zone. September 26, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
26. "Portledge School at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
27. "Canadian All-Stars 13, Planet USA All-Stars 11". American Hockey League. February 14, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2019.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Rick DiPietro's U.S. Olympic Team bio