Isles Dipetrio signs for 15 years

habs93 · Veteran Member

Isles Dipetrio signs for 15 years

NSHabsFan · Member

TSN STORY

barry33 · Guru

Way to go Garth Snow!!!!!!!!!!!! I just spit my coffee all over the place when I read THIS one! What a joke!! He will be 40 years old when his contract expires HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA. barry33 takes every bad thing back that he said about the 3 year Koivu no trade contract now..this puts it ALL in perspective!!!

Can anyone please enlighten me as to what Dipietro has done in his career to warrant a 15 year contract?!??? One good thing though. If I am an Islanders fan, Garth Snow as a GM now makes the Milbury years look genius!

I am on the phone to owner Charles Wang right now..here is how the conversation is going:

barry33 "Hey Chuckey how's it hangin' big fellow? Listen I am wondering if I could be the team waterboy? In my playing career I had lots of experience sitting on the bench and opening the door and passing towels and water down to the real players"

Wang "Sure barry..sounds like a great deal..fly on down here at my expense and we will do a deal up. How does a 5 year deal at 1.8 mill a year sound?"

-- Edited by barry33 at 09:39, 2006-09-12

Nil d · Guru

Perhaps ol' Garth's plan is to sign this mediocre goalie for 15 years to make himself look like a decent goalie in comparison.

Too weird for words.

chelii chilli · Member

Stupid deal, he should have signed for at least 17 years.

At least this way he becomes a UFA in 2021. (Probably the same time that Crosby will be retired.)

NSHabsFan · Member

Snow is not behind this at all in my opinion. I heard that the Isles were working on this during or at least around the lockout period. Back then I thought it must have been a joke... obviously not.

Snow is nothing more than a pawn.

Whatever they are smoking.... pass it around.

lol

Ando · Guru

And-o to Chucky…stop running your hockey team like it is a software company!

While it is usually a very shrewd business move to straight-line as many costs as possible…especially labor costs…this type of labor force does something that almost no others do…it depreciates in value quite quickly!

So, unlike a nice long agreement between a company and...just for example…a trade union that can be quite beneficial to both sides…this deal is just plain awful for the Islanders long-term outlook!

Who can even name five goalies from the modern era that have played 15 years as a number one goalie?

What if Dipietro slumps…then nosedives…then just plain stinks? Given the very competitive nature of the business, why would anyone guarantee 100% job security to such a key component of a team for such a long period of time?

Imagine if the Islanders drafted a MEGASTAR goalkeeper in a later round of the entry draft 5 years from now…..what happens to Dipietro then???

Is this the most foolish deal in the entire history of modern professional sports??? And-o says YES!!!

…this, at best, has a 1-in-100,000 chance of turning out in favor of the Islanders!

barry33 · Guru

One is left to wonder whether the team owner is Charles Wang or Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong.

"hey Cheech dude..let's sign this Dipietro Dude for 15 years man....that will free us up some dough for more grass man..."

Ando · Guru

And-o caught a bit of the new ‘Hockey Central at Noon’ today on the Rogers Network and Nick Kypreos just basically endorsed this move by the Islanders!

His thought is that, since the deal does not contain a ‘no trade’ or ‘no movement’ component, both sides benefit greatly.

(FYI…apparently the new buzz phrase in terms of NHL contract negotiations is ‘no movement’…which basically determines whether or not the player can be sent to the minors or not…and thereby circumvent the restrictions of the salary cap…and in this instance…Dipietro can be moved to the minors...WITH pay of course…but not against the cap!)

…still a dumb-dumb deal if you ask And-o!!!

AB Habman · Guru

Really stupid! Like you say And-o, if his play depreciates to a back up status, then they have an expensive back up on their hands. Who will want to trade for an over paid back-up goalie? Even if they send him to their farm, he's still being paid by the Islanders but just won't count against their NHL Cap.

How many goalies stay on top for 15 years? Is he even a franchise goalie now?

This is just so CRAZY!

MC Girl · Guru

McKenzie: DiPietro deal a Wang production

Bob McKenzie

9/12/2006 6:43:35 PM

There isn't anyone in the NHL who isn't talking about Rick DiPietro's 15-year, $67.5 million contract and you should hear what they're saying about it. Or more precisely, what they're saying about the man who engineered it, Islander owner Charles Wang.

It's absolutely mind boggling.

DiPietro is a good NHL goalie who still has a chance to be a great one, but giving a goalie who turns 25 next week a 15-year deal, well, it just isn't done. This contract, outlandish as it may be, won't hamstring the franchise as badly as Alexei Yashin's 10-year deal, but it is symptomatic of an NHL club that is, at best, non-traditonal, and at worst, totally dysfunctional.

Make no mistake, this was a Charles Wang production from start to finish. Neophyte GM Garth Snow was only along for the ride.

An Islander source said Wang insisted on negotiating the deal directly with DiPietro, bypassing the goalie's agents. DiPietro's father was part of negotiations, apparently as a safeguard for the goalie, and DiPietro's agents were left to counsel from afar, providing their input behind the scenes.

Deposed Islander GM Neil Smith was never going to last in the Wang regime, but there is every reason to believe the timing of his dismissal was directly related to DiPietro's contract talks. Which is to suggest, Islander business gets done Wang's way or it's the highway.

The point is, this is not how it's done. This is not how successful hockey organizations do business. So either Wang is a visionary who is smarter than the rest of the NHL or he's…

Well, suffice to say what judgments are being reached throughout the league today.

For TSN.ca, I'm Bob McKenzie.

-- Edited by MC Girl at 20:13, 2006-09-12

MC Girl · Guru

Hockey world reacts to DiPietro deal

Canadian Press

9/12/2006 5:14:07 PM

Dumbfounded. Shocked. And lots of laughter.

The hockey world was abuzz Tuesday in the wake of Rick DiPietro's staggering US$67.5-million, 15-year contract with the New York Islanders.

''What's my reaction? Amazement,'' said a Western Conference GM who requested anonymity.

The Islanders believe DiPietro is destined to become a top-five goalie in the league and will be a bargain at $4.5 million a year.

Most other GMs weren't buying it Tuesday. They feel there's very little argument in favour of signing any player in the NHL to a 15-year contract, let alone a goalie yet to prove himself.

''Let's just say DiPietro takes off and he becomes a star and a top-five goalie and you have to pay him $7 million a year, let him go to another team if you can't afford him because you can get a pretty damn good goalie at $4 million every year,'' said an Eastern Conference GM.

''They're trying to protect themselves from that $7-million salary but quite honestly, it's an absolutely ridiculous thing to do,'' added the GM. ''From an organization's point of view, it makes absolutely no sense.''

The NHL's head office can't be thrilled about the deal but there's not much commissioner Gary Bettman could do to stop it even if he wanted to.

''There's nothing in the constitution that says you can't sign a player for 15 years,'' said an Eastern Conference GM.

It's believed the league stepped in last year when former Isles GM Mike Milbury first tried to sign DiPietro to a $60-million, 15-year contract, discouraging the NHL club from going forward with it. This time, according to a source close to the talks, owner Charles Wang was directly involved and wasn't going to take no for an answer.

''Clubs are free to make their own decisions within the confines laid out in the collective bargaining agreement and other applicable league rules,'' NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Canadian Press. ''Some decisions turn out well, others not so well.

''Time will tell whether this will be a good decision or a bad one for the Islanders.''

A real danger in the longevity of the deal is that no one knows what kind of collective bargaining agreement the NHL will have in the future. The current deal expires in five years.

''I don't know the benefit of a 15-year contract,'' said Philadelphia's Bob Clarke, the only GM contacted by CP who would go on the record on the subject. ''But they must have their own thoughts on that. They also signed (Alexei) Yashin to 10 (years). For us, in today's world, we think five years is a long contract. . . .

''But if DiPietro turns out to be one the best goalies in the league, then it's a hell of a deal.''

Now the Islanders have two monster contracts they're stuck with after Yashin signed on for $87.5 million over 10 years in 2001. The current CBA prohibits any contract from being renegotiated.

''DiPietro's an Islander for life because they're never moving that contract,'' said a Western Conference GM. ''You can say it's only 4.5 but it's 4.5 until the cows come home. Obviously if he plays at a high level they've got themselves a bargain I guess but if he doesn't, you have him on the books for a lifetime.

''Is he one of the 10 best goalies in the league today? I would say no right now,'' he added. ''Unless his career is ready to take a big step forward, you've yourself an average goalie for $4.5 million a year. And you've got him for the rest of your life and Yashin for the rest of your life. Geez.''

DiPietro's contract is guaranteed and he will be paid in full should he retire because of injury. If he ends his career otherwise before the deal expires, he would forfeit the remaining dollars. That would be the only out for the Islanders.

Another possible concern is that you may have a 25-year-old goalie that now lacks motivation. He's just won the lottery.

''How's he going to react to all this?,'' wondered one GM. ''He's never going to have another negotiation in his career, how motivated will he be? If this Rick DiPietro isn't a completely passionate athlete, he's going to sleep. He has to, that's just human nature.''

-- Edited by MC Girl at 20:15, 2006-09-12

hockeyman · Senior Member

Wow...... Talk about the possibility of being stuck with that contract if things don't pan ouit with Dipietro. And to top it all off they have Yashin looking at them right in the face.

heet_150 · Guru

According to Bill Daly, NHL deputy commishioner, if DiPietro volutarily retires, his salary does not count against the cap. If he suffers a career ending injury, his salary no longer counts against the cap. Some have already begun to speculate that when DiPietro is no longer a number one goalie or of value to the team, he will voluntarily retire and start to work in Islander head office. Of course, Wang is going to want to make sure that DiPietro doesn't get made at him and decide to not retire for 15 years.

-- Edited by heet_150 at 21:21, 2006-09-12

Figaro · Guru

RE: Real news

barry33 · Guru

RE: Isles Dipetrio signs for 15 years

MC Girl · Guru

Apparently this is the biggest deal EVER in the NHL. All I have left to say is...... WTF

MC Girl · Guru

I love the ESPN front page title for Dipietro... "DOLLARS & NONSENSE"

here's their story... have a good chuckle

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=2584726

-- Edited by MC Girl at 09:01, 2006-09-13

MC Girl · Guru

Survey from "your take" on the Depietro deal, also from ESPN.... thought it was funny.

Vote: Did the Islanders make the right move?

Rick DiPietroAt least nobody can claim Garth Snow forgot his roots.

Having moved from the net to the front office in the offseason, Islanders GM Snow, along with owner Charles Wang, caught the league's attention on Tuesday in working out a 15-year, $67.5-million deal with No. 1 goalie Rick DiPietro. The contract will theoretically keep DiPietro in net until 2022, when he will be 40 years old.

Among the longest contracts in North American sports history, the news once again puts the Islanders in the spotlight for something other than winning games. After all, this is the same franchise that gave Alexei Yashin a disastrous 10-year deal.

So what's your take, SportsNation? Is this a good first move in getting the Islanders back on top? Is anyone worth 15 years?

1) What's your take on the 15-year contract the Islanders gave DiPietro?

Good move to lock up the cornerstone, Too long a deal but it's not a terrible move, What the heck are they thinking?
2) What part of the deal makes the least sense?

The length, The money, Both seem about right
3) Will DiPietro win a Stanley Cup with the Islanders?

Yes, No
4) Will DiPietro win a Vezina Trophy with the Islanders?

Yes, No
5) Will DiPietro still be playing in the NHL at the end of this deal?

Yes, for the Islanders, Yes, for another team, No
6) Who do you think had more to do with negotiating this deal?

GM Garth Snow, Owner Charles Wang
7) Who will be around the longest for the Islanders?

Rick DiPietro, Ted Nolan, Garth Snow, Charles Wang
8) What's your take on the state of the Islanders after the team finished 14 points out of the playoffs last season?

On the way up, Haven't hit bottom yet, Stuck in neutral
9) Will the Islanders make the playoffs this season?

Yes, No
10) Which goalie under 30 is most deserving of a 15-year contract?

Ilya Bryzgalov, Rick DiPietro, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Miikka Kiprusoff, Henrik Lundqvist, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Miller, Vesa Toskala, Cam Ward

-- Edited by MC Girl at 09:07, 2006-09-13

MC Girl · Guru

Sports Ticker

9/13/2006 2:12:48 PM

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- A day after rocking the hockey world by giving goaltender Rick DiPietro a landmark 15-year deal, the New York Islanders conducted some normal business.

Viktor Kozlov, a veteran center who can also play right wing, signed a one-year deal with the Islanders on Wednesday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Kozlov, 31, recorded 12 goals and 13 assists in 69 games with the New Jersey Devils last season. The Russian was especially effective in shootouts, scoring eight times in 12 chances.

"Viktor brings a lot to the table," new Islanders general manager Garth Snow said. "He can be a center or wing on any of our top three lines and be solid in all zones. This is an excellent addition for our team as we head into training camp."

A first-round pick in 1993, Kozlov has 144 goals and 247 assists in 668 NHL games with San Jose, Florida and New Jersey.

The Islanders on Wednesday also announced that goaltender Mike Dunham and right wing Richard Park will attend training camp on a tryout basis.

Dunham, 34, was limited to just 17 games last season with the Atlanta Thrashers due to groin problems and went 8-5-0 with a 2.77 goals-against average and .893 save percentage.

In nine NHL seasons with New Jersey, Nashville, the New York Rangers and Atlanta, Dunham has a 137-168-39 record with a 2.69 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

Park, 30, had eight goals and 10 assists in 60 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season. He spent the previous three campaigns with the Minnesota Wild and recorded 37 goals and 37 assists in 217 games.

On Tuesday, the Islanders signed DiPietro to a league-record 15-year contract worth $67.5 million.

DiPietro went 30-24 with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage in 63 games last season, his fourth with New York.

-- Edited by MC Girl at 15:47, 2006-09-13