ISLANDERS NEED MORE THAN A BACKUP PLAN
Snow must view DiPietro comeback as a bonus
Islanders Point Blank on Twitter
Rick DiPietro played five games last season. Major surgery has been performed on his hips in each of the previous Springs. Although reliable sources report that DiPietro’s hips are at 100% strength, it is his left knee that causes him still today to walk with a limp.
On Oct. 31 of last year, Dr. Elliott Hershman performed surgery on the goalie to repair a torn meniscus. It was the second such operation on the knee. Whether there has been a third, unannounced procedure is up for scrutiny. DiPietro was seen all over Long Island in April walking with the assistance of crutches.
All of the above made it all the more inconceivable that head coach Scott Gordon would recently declare that the key to the 2009-10 season was DiPietro’s health. In a story with Greg Logan of Newsday three weeks ago, Gordon said:
To me, the most important thing is going to be Ricky. No matter who we draft, it’s going to come down to what we do in net. No matter how good you are, you’re going to break down. You can’t underestimate the value of the guy in net. You have to have a guy who is able to run with the ball. No matter who we draft, it gets overshadowed by who’s in net.
It’s possible Gordon was just building up the confidence of his ailing No. 1 goalie and wasn’t really serious.
If the Islanders’ plan for next season is to count on 50-60 games from DiPietro, then…no, it’s not even necessary to complete that sentence. That would be insulting. There is no way the Islanders are doing anything but considering the complete return of health and form of DiPietro as gravy. Publicly, of course they have to say the right things. Privately, there’s simply no chance Garth Snow is telling himself he only needs a solid backup and a pair of good tries for Bridgeport.
The Islanders are not that delusional. They would be better with him, no question, but the Islanders’ season does not depend on DiPietro’s health. It cannot. It should not. No excuses.
Look, there’s a chance DiPietro can return to all-star form this season. No one is saying otherwise. But the Islanders have to view a possible comeback (what a story that would be - Masterton Injury Recovery Award, baby!) as a very nice bonus.
For the record, the Islanders will not comment on DiPietro’s status, other than to point to Snow’s remarks in April that the goalie will begin skating in August “like he usually does in getting ready for camp.” Since the end of the season, DiPietro has not been made available by the team for interviews.
DiPietro is not a scheduled guest at the team’s very popular Draft Party on June 26 and has not been utilized in team-hosted charity or promotional events. He did attend a fundraiser for the Long Island Children’s Museum two weeks ago, where he was spotted by several Islanders fans walking with a limp. DiPietro has not returned a text in search of a basic statement on how he is feeling today.
Perhaps the Islanders are approaching this the way they should. Stay low-profile. Don’t say anything. If DiPietro is strong in training camp, regard it as a happy surprise. That would be perfectly played, as long as they sign a B-plus NHL goaltender the first week in July and solid NHL backup soon after. Or make a trade.
Gordon’s right. A strong No. 1 goaltender is a must. However, they can be found and developed from sources other than the first round of the draft or big-buck free agency. The 35-year old star goalie of the Boston Bruins was playing in Finland at age 30. The New Jersey Devils didn’t miss a beat this season when Martin Brodeur went down, thanks in part to a career-long backup who was on the farm team of another organization just the year before.
The Islanders’ revival in 2001-02 was backstopped by a No. 1 goaltender acquired in something they used to call the Waiver Draft. The Detroit Red Wings tomorrow could win their second Stanley Cup in a row with a goalie they placed on waivers earlier in the decade. (Yep, same guy). Not every effective goaltender in the league has the pedigree of Marc-Andre Fleury or Cam Ward.
Yes, we know. You need to build a better team around the goalie. With or without DiPietro, that’s the Islanders’ plan anyway, isn’t it?
Comments.
165 Responses to “ISLANDERS NEED MORE THAN A BACKUP PLAN
Snow must view DiPietro comeback as a bonus”
Please Wait
plenty of solid goalies will be on the market come July 1st.
Manny Fernandez, Ty Conklin, Craig Anderson, Dwayne Roloson, Brent Johnson to name a few.
DP will retire. Sad but true.
Getting Conklin will increase our chances in playing in a Winter Classic game. I like both him and Roloson.
I tell ya, it kills me to see Osgood so effective in Detroit, although you could argue that playing behind the Red Wings makes a goalie’s job a little easier.
It would be nice if they could say something - anything - to at least reduce the amount of speculation.
Being coy with your first overall pick is one thing. Being coy about the health of your most valuable, face of the franchise and 12-yr contracted player is an entirely different matter.
I truly have no faith that DP will play more than 5 games again this year, with that said Garth has to find a way to get not a B-rated Goalie but someone who can be expexted be our No.1 goalie for this year and the future, because I do not believe DP will be a 50-60 game goalie ever again. You can not tell me after all the surgeries and troubles he has been thru he will be able to give the level of energy he has given in the past. I am sorry to say but DP may have played his best hockey already.
yep. Free agency will be the only way to handle the net problem. Glad that contract is insured in rolling five year increments.
i have personally seen jase weslosky play for St. Cloud and the kid looks like he can really play. i know he is going to be a senior but does anyone know what plans the islanders have for him.
Im all for getting a goalie, but lets try and keep him under 33…preferably under 30. Bc if DP doesnt come back and we sign one of the fossils out there, we’ll end up just needing a goalie again in a year or two
DP = Done Playing!(hehe couldn’t resist)
I am very impressed with Craig Anderson. Solid, excellent composure, great positionally and rarely has to make desperartion saves.
A friend of mine saw DP yesteday walking out of celebrity diner in syosset, he said his knee was wraped up, didnt say if he was limping at all. he asked rick how he was doing and rick said was doing good and cant wait to get back on the ice and that hes very excited about the upcoming season. I guess thats good news sort of, you cant expect rick to say his knee is shot. I hope hes 100%.
Isles should have kept Osgood and let DiPietro develop in the minors for a couple of years. Now he has become a liability and is another injury/concussion away from forced retirement. Sad, but true.
Agree and disagree. While I agree with the point that if Dipietro comes back and is healthy it def should be viewed as a bonus. However, if the Isles have another Joey Macdonald or yan danis in goal again next year the team will yield pretty similar results. So the teams season pretty much does depend on Dipietro’s health (if they plan on doing anything significant in the standings). There doesnt seem to be much of a market for good goaltenders right now. You would have to define a B+ goaltender. The scenario that makes the most sense to me is to find a very good goaltender with slim possibilities of playing or landing a multi-year deal anywhere else and signing them to a 1 year deal so they can showcase their skill. The only goaltender i can think of is Khabibulin(very unlikely as i think he would want to go to a contender). Anyone else and we’ll just be playing with another teams backup. I dont think Craig Anderson or Ty Conklin will be a solution or even someone to bridge the gap. You need the mindset that Dipietro will be the backup next year and ease him into the lineup as gently as possible bc if he gets hurt again forget about it.
I hope Rick comes back 100%. He has got to be so frustrated not being able to play for such a long time now. The team would be in much better shape with him in net as opposed to the alternatives. I’m sure Snow has a Plan B just in case. I just hope it’s a good one.
Sign Clemmensen. He makes the most sense.
#4 - ozzy was atrocious earlier in the year, they were patient and let him work through his problems, but they would be DEAD IN THE WATER if he didn’t turn his year around, and even more, regain his remarkable form at JUST the right time - the playoff push…good for him, he’s always been a classy guy and i can’t root against him tomorrow night.
Let’s see..concussions, hip surgery, knee surgery, complications from knee surgeries, lucky for Rick he is not a horse because they would have shot him by now!!!I doubt very much that DP ever plays at 100% again, it’s not like a goaltender needs solid hips and knees, do they? making it an absolute necessity to get a top goaltender in here. If DP does come back, great then we are solid in net!! If not, we got help. Snow’s actions in the draft and goaltender FA market will tell you everything you need to know about the future of DP as a top flight goaltender.
No. 8. I would also like to see the Isles sign Jase Weslosky. I heard rumors that the isles might pass on him though.
I have no faith in DP being able to handle anytype of #1 goalie minutes why should we. Over the last 2 years he played he broke down at 50 games and last year he never recovered from his many off season surgeries. I’ve said it all along I believe he is going to retire from these injuries. The Isles can continue to hide this guy from the fans and media all that does is back up the sightings of this guy limping around. If he was OK all they have to do is let him talk to everyone and say he’s feeling fine and is looking forward to a strong camp and that would quite everyone down. But in typical stupid Isles fashion they have to be cute about the whole subject and not say anything about it and keep the guy everyone has questions about away from everyone only fueling specualtion of his injuries.
With this already being June, one would think a successful recovery would have DP in the headlines to go along with the first round draft choice. After 1.5 years of surgery’s and all this huh-huh, DP’s future seems doubtful. Until he proves himself NHL ready it’s time to looks for alternatives.
Clemmensen would be an excellent choice and it appears that he is a free agent come July 1. Your big sell…You will play more here then in Jersey.
I was never a big DP fan, but that’s besides the point. The only thing that I don’t want to happen is to have his injuries keeping the Islanders’ progress in limbo. I don’t want the carrot dangled in front of me/us where we keep hearing “he will be fine” forever, and they keep him around meanwhile he is really injured, and can’t play.
Within the next season or two, I do firmly believe that Rickety Dipietro will retire. If we don’t draft up into the top 15 with our late 1st rounder and early seconds, then I do hope and believe one of our early draft choices will be a goaltender.
Hey CB, in a worse case scenario (DP retires), how does that affect our salary cap this year and future years?
I say he does not even play 5 games this year. Time to retire.
Clemmensen doesnt make any sense what so ever and is a bad choice. The guy will be 32 years old. Hes played a half of season in his 8 year professional career as a starter. Last year he played more games (40) than he did between 2001-2008 (28). Because he had half a good season,you think hes the best choice to be our starting goaltender? Not to mention when Martin Brodeur came back he wasnt even the Devils backup. Kevin Weekes was. He got sent to the minors.
Come on guys. There are much better options for the Isles out there.
I have a question… I keep asking about DP’s contract but nobody seems to know about cap implications on injury or early retirement.
I read the following post from ealier about it being insured in 5 year increments.
Does anybody out there in Isles Land know how this will work… Thanks.
7th Woman on Jun 11th, 2009 11:39:36 said:
yep. Free agency will be the only way to handle the net problem. Glad that contract is insured in rolling five year increments.
Rooting for Osgood big time tomorrow night. Classy guy and the best goalie we’ve had since Hrudey.
If DP retires I believe his numbers come off the books all together. Insurance will cover most of the contract. Wang loses money in the deal. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works..
What kind of a cap hit do they gat if he retires? Even if he DOES come back, his days of playing more than 45 games are over.
#2- If DP retires I think the only one who will really be sad is Charles Wang, because he would still need to pay him. His salary will be cut from the cap and the team will be able to start over. I really am a DP fan and I hope he recovers, but with all his injuries, I see him as more of a future goalies coach than actual starting goalie.
I’m one of the biggest Rick DiPietro fans out there, but it is IMPERATIVE that we sign a solid “1-A” goalie (possible uncontested #1 for us this year depending on Rick’s health).
My first choice would be Craig Anderson. This kid can flat out play and he’s still young. We need stability in the crease if Rick cannot hold the fort. Anderson can give that to us. In my opinion, if we sign him and draft J.T., this off-season is a huge success.
LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!!!!
What about DP’s contract? 15 yer deal 50 mil plus, who would want to trade for him knowing about all these injuries? How do the Islanders get out of that contract even if he does consider retirement.
It seems to me that Dipietro is becoming a big liability and the fact that if he does not perform in training camp, could be big trouble for this Organization. Dajavu “Yashin”.
We are still paying his contract right.
26 - I do not believe it was an option for Clemmensen to be a backup for NJ last year, as Weekes would have had to clear waivers to be sent down. So if Brodeur or Clemmensen were to get hurt, Weekes would have been plucked from waivers on his way down, and then NJ would have been in a really tough spot.
I know a lot of fans love DP, but unfortunately even when he’s healthy, he’s still very inconsistent and not dependable. He’s definitely not one of the top goalies in the league & he never has been - even though a lot of people like to think otherwise.
Hate to say it, but I’d rather see him retire or leave. Unless he learns how to stay in the net & not flop around the ice like a fish out of water, he’s no good to the team.
THERE IS NO CAP HIT IF HE HAS TO RETIRE DUE TO INJURY!!!!
1) Two hip, and two knee surgeries (along with a few concussions) before age 26 doesn’t bode well for a long career (If even another game)
2) Gordon is 100% correct that this team will go NO where without a true #1 goalie. If Ricky isn’t ready to(and we’d say its unlikely based upon how they are treating this issue) play 60+ games then they either:
a) Need to sign a guy who can either split the load, or play those 60 games
b) Try again to “win” the draft lottery for 2010
3) Hopefully (this time) the team will learn that signing players to double digit deals is insane!
I agree with Matt at #1. It’s my understanding that the crop of FA goalies this summer is a good one. Lock one up and draft a good prospect this June. Also, don’t let the question mark in net make you take Hedman over Tavares. If The Rick is done the franchise needs a new poster boy and VH isn’t it.
from an article 3 years ago on espn.com
According to sources at both the NHLPA and the NHL, here’s how the deal shakes out:
• As long as DiPietro wants to play for the Islanders, he will be paid for the duration of the deal barring either a trade to another NHL team or his retirement.
• If he’s traded, his contract goes with him as it was negotiated and becomes the responsibility of the team that acquires him (there currently is no provision for sharing contracts between teams).
• If he formally retires, providing the league with the appropriate papers to that effect, the contract ends and does not count against the Islanders’ salary cap.
I’ve never been a DP fan. Even when healthy, his play is erratic at best and usually in the bottom half of the league. He may be a great puck handler, but the Isles should consider that a goalie’s most important task is to stop the puck. Add to that his health status and Isles should count on him for nothing at all. I doubt he’ll play this coming year, but Isles need to keep his status as active so they can count his salary towards the minimum payroll. Isles will learn nothing from this. Count on seeing Okposo signing a 25-year contract sometime soon!
DP will be fine. Stop the hysteria! He is still only 27 or 28, which means his body will be able to recover from injuries better than if he were 33 or 34. They should have him play 40 to 45 games next year to give him time to build up strength again.
The Islanders’ handling of this situation speaks volumes about Rick’s health. If Ricky’s future with the team was not in doubt, then he would likely be more available at charitable events and other team functions this off-season. It is very likely that this season is Rick’s last shot to see if he can come back. I’m sure both Rick and the Isles know that, and it’s why they aren’t putting him out there too much right now. Given his style of play and injury history, however, I would not be surprised if he retires in the next 8-10 months. It is imperative that Garth sign an established NHL goaltender this offseason for at least a 2 year deal. Martin Biron is my first choice, but I don’t think we are willing to spend 4-5M until we know for certain if Rick is retiring. Anderson may be the next best option.
#40 Bottom half of the league? Put a real team in front of a healthy DP and then talk to me. A couple of years ago when Lundqvist was nominated for the vezina, DP’s were numbers were nearly identical and I’m not even a huge DP fan.
Thanks Bob… I appreciate it.
Makes me feel a little more comfortable knowing that.
Maybe we should sign Khabibulin to a one year deal. He can carry the load if DP is not 100%
WOW….Alot of people are ripping DP. Give the kid a break. No one trains harder then Ricky and no one wants to get on the ice and help his team more then him. Lets not continue to roast him, lets support him. He has always been 100% committed to the Islanders and the fans. Lets cut him some slack and wait for training camp to start before we retire him. That being said, Snow needs to go out and sign a veteran goaltender that is capable of carrying the load just in case DP is not %100.
Come on people, how hard do you really want to make this? If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its a duck. If it walks with a limp and hasn’t played in a year and has a history of serious injury and won’t return inquiries about its health, its shot and won’t return.
Its the best thing. For all the “skill” and “ability” Rick has, he lacks everything else, most importantly discipline and maturity. He will never mature, just like Jose Reyes will never mature. His best days are long behind now.
Plus, what bigger symbol of Mike Milbury is there than Rick? Like Mike, Rick has failed. He didn’t work out. It took Wang years and years to come to grips with that failure, lets just get this one over with quick and move on.
Yes, they have to count Ricky’s return to good health as a bonus. Also, having a capable goalie with him will allow him to build up his workload. Even he only plays 40 games this year then fine, build him up next year if he show’s he healthy enough. He’s such a great goalie that it would be the biggest blessing the team could get for him to be healthy. He looked great in a few of those games last year which is impressive because he obviously wasn’t ready. Harding from Minn is a guy with upside and Anderson is another guy I’d really like to see.
I for one have always liked DP. Love his work ethic and dedication. Also love his play when he is healthy. I would love nothing more than a healthy DP. However based on all of his troubles I am skeptical of his return. I hope to be pleasntly surprised.
bob (16): You say that Osgood turned his year around, but I think the Wings would have been dead in the water if not for Ty Conklin. Ty playing half the season is what put them in the place they wound up in, AND having him is what afforded them the luxury of telling Osgood to go home and take a break when his playing was that bad. Having Conklin is what allowed them to rest up a goalie for the playoffs. Osgood DEFINITELY stepped up in the playoffs and that is truly admirable, but the reason they could even BE in that position is- Ty Conklin.
In my DREAMS the Islanders could get a hold of him- but I think the Red Wings know fully well that Conklin is who put them in this poition… and I am confident they are going to re-sign him. I wish it wasnt true, because there is nobody potentiall available Id want holding the fort here on LI more than Ty.
#43 i AGREE COMPLETELY DP REALLY WANTS TO BE BACK AND I’M SURE HE’S TRYING HIS HARDEST… LET’S CUT HIM SOME SLACK!
#31….ir Rick is a goalie coach, we’ll have bigger problems than we do now. I can only imagine the goalie with seven goalie coaches who couldn’t work with him being the one to mess up a kid’s game beyond all repair.
CB….Is there a possibility that the Isles would purposly exagerate Dp’s Injuries in order to tank a few seasons and pick up some great draft picks, Then plug him back in when the team is much better in front of him?
Anderson is getting alot hype (rightfully so)but I like Roloson on a 2 year deal @ 2.5 per season
year 1 he plays 60+ while Rick is eased back into game shape
year 2 he plays ?? pending Ricks health etc..
he’s been a healthy goalie who can handle a big workload and he’s apparently a great guy to have in the locker room which can go a long ways towards being helpful with such a young team
1) We are NOT “ripping” DP. He seems like a good guy. Probably has a great work ethic, etc.
2) Just questioning the realistic expectation that a player(at any age) who has had 4 major surgeries on vitally inportant joints for his position AND concussions should be counted on for the long term
my only wearable (i’m too fat now) jersey is my #39 in orange - hoping he returns to form but you gotta give that a 15-20% chance of happening…a shame too he’s got pretty good career #’s for playing on a below average team for most of those games
Not related to this story, but very interesting. According to the Russian Sport Express newspaper, Ziggy Palffy (37 year old now) scored 52 goals and 47 assists in 53 games playing in Slovak top league. He also added 27 points in 17 play-off games. He is about to sign a deal with a top team from Russian KHL. I am sure he could still score 20 goals and 40 assists playing for NYI.
#47 - No, there is no possibility.
A healthy DP would do wonders for the progress of this team. Let’s all hope he makes a strong recovery because he definitely has the talent to be a top 5 goalie in the league and I think most of us know that. Also, as a couple people have mentioned, he wants to be here and that has to count for something.
#47 as well: if Rick were purposely taking time off to heal…..rather than what I believe he has been doing in returning too early and training to hard thus aggrevating his injuries even more….he would be out of game shape, would regress in his development and burn his best years on purpose just to be able to avoide losing so much with a bad team.
I don’t like Rick in net at all but I respect him as an athlete and would say that is a move only Dominick Hasek would pull. Rick has class. Impossible he would do that.
i love ricky as much as the next guy but i don’t believe a word this team says until I see ricky back with the team and healthy. that being said, i honestly think ricky has already played his best hockey. its truly a shame that such a talented player went over his physical limits. i loved hisdesire to play every game but ricky had to reign that desire in becuase it ultimately cost him dearly. i hope hes back to being the old rick but i seriously doubt that will happen.
One the many issues I’ve always had with Ricky’s contract is how does the team attract a legitimate 1A goalie to play here, with Ricky signed for such a long time. You can always get a carreer backup. But no talented goalie with aspriations of being a starter is ever going to want to come to the Islanders as long as Ricky is with the team.
#46- If DP retires, I’m sure Wang would offer him a position to stay with the team. Dunham is the goalie coach, but every practice I’ve seen it’s Sudsie who’s working with them. But all this aside I really hope DP can come back. He is one of the most athletic players in the game today. His attempts at coming back only prove his desire to play.
Craig Anderson’s the guy. Has flat-out stolen games against the Islanders and is a star in waiting. Get him and and goaltending issues are taken care of.
isles72 (49): I like Roloson as well, since I think that Conklin will be locked up.
And I agree with those stating that the hostility regarding rick is out of hand. The guy has been hurt, not slacking off- injury is not a valid reason to be hateful and angry with any player. He didnt draft himself, he didnt offer a contract to himself, and he didnt choose to be injured.
Having the potential to be a top goalie and actually being a top goalie are two different things. DP shows signs of greatness occasionally - like when he plays against the Devils or Rangers.
Every other game it’s a wild guess how he’s going to perform. He has potential, but he doesn’t produce.
what a total and disasterous bust RDP turned into. Think of how much now losing that #1 pick hurt the team. unreal.
There are only a few goalies worth signing - but I wouldn’t sign any to a long term deal - this is the order:
1. Anderson - 2 years 1.2 per year
(if you look at his numbers - he has not really played many games per year)
2. Roloson - 1 year 2.3 Mil
3. Biron - 1 year 2 Mil
4. Gerber - 1 year 650
5. Scott Monroe - 2 year deal
1st year (2-Way) for 550
2nd year (1-Way) for 600
Well, at least we got Justin Papineau for Osgood! …what ever happened to that guy, anyway?
I just find Snow treating everything as a state secret maddening. I guess he thinks it’s clever, or whatever, but he’s not really protecting anything. The whole world knows DP has had multiple hip and knee surgeries. Everyone has seen or heard about him on crutches in April…just admit he had the third surgery. Heck, call it a “lower body procedure” if it makes you feel more stealthy.
Didnt we know this would happen 10 seconds after he signed a 15 year contract?
No Smitty = No cups
SIGN ZIGGY!!!!!!
I’m another one of those “never a big fan of DP” people, but I don’t think this season is make-or-break for The Rick. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to retire, and there is no way the Islanders are going to deal his ridiculous contract anyway. He’s an Islander, and he’ll more than likely not play for any other team.
I can seem him sticking around for maybe five more years before the Islanders eventually will buy out his contract (ala Yashin). He’ll try his damnedest to be healthy, but it’s so unlikely. But hey, who knows, look at how Pavano’s treating the Indians (SO FAR).
# 46 Frei
Thanks for putting this into perspective. Great post…Your post is exactly how I feel.
I’ve openly never been a huge fan of Dipietro and although at times he has been fantastic, there have been plenty of times when he has been average at best. I hope he can come back healthy but I agree with the notion that the Isles goalie of the future is not Rick Dipietro. Too many injuries and even when healthy he is too inconsistent. I hope I’m proven wrong but now is the time to sign a proven free agent and maybe draft a kid who can be solid in the next 3-5 years.
the only blame for the DP situation is on the NY Islanders management. They relied on him way too much, worked him too hard, and didnt provide him with much support. They have no one to blame but themselves.
Papineau + Ricky = CUP!!!
There is a career-ending injury clause in DP’s contract. The Isles get out of it if he is forced to retire due to injury. That wouldn’t happen this season but if he is shelved again and still limping next June, he’s done. No doubt in my mind that if DP does not play this season and he still isn’t 100% within the next 12 months that he will retire.
I believe that most Islander fans aren’t foolish enough to believe that Ricky is going to come storming back this September into camp in his top form. Recovering from multiple surgeries is very serious … Our biggest hope with Ricky is that he’s always been a dedicated and committed player to his fitness.
While Ricky is getting his wheels back together the Isles need to find a 1A or 1B goalie that is going to both push Ricky and provide quality back stopping during the games that Rick doesn’t play.
Throw Garon (Pens) a bone for a 1 year contract with the opportunity to be a starter again.
If DP was going to be ready for the start of the season then the team would say so, with an ‘Official’ statement and DP would not be hiding from the media. They are being secret because they need to be, no other reason. He is in rough shape.
His Career save PCT is .905 and GAA is 2.79.
Well below average.
Also the notion that he has been on terrible teams is invalid because he has played two full seasons on a playoff team and a partial season on a playoff team. The other seasons he played full, the Isles weren’t bottom of the league like this season.
I can’t believe what short term memories everyone seems to have.
I think DiPietro was leading the Islander into the playoffs with a very undermanned team, full of injuries, back-ups and 3rd/4th liners before his injuries got the best of him.
He was the “STARTING” goalie for the ALL-STAR game.
He was the STARTING GOALIE for team USA.
He makes acrobatic saves… as did Hasek, Richter, Thomas, Billy Smith, Grant Fuhr etc. etc. etc.
Now we have to quantify flopping around to make a save vs. making a “fundamentally sound” save…??? Maybe the fundamentally sound goalie wouldn’t have gotten to the puck that DiPietros’ ATHLETICISM allowed him to get to. NO?
I thought the name of the game was to make the save… period?
DOC
If you didn’t know that this story would bring the Ricky haters out of the woodwork, you do now.
Ricky will be fine. He will (although maybe not this year) be the goalie who leads us to the promised land.
To steal a hook,
Healed at last. Healed at last. Thank God a’mighty, he’s healed at last.
That’s the type of information I garner from writing the booster club newsletter interview articles for the last three years. things are said. i write them down. no one remembers the details. ‘cept me.
Let’s hope DiPietro recovers fully. GO ISLES!!!!
I’ve got a great feeling about Craig Anderson. Solid numbers and young (28). I would entice him over with 3yrs/.975-1.2mil and at least 20-30 games promised for this coming season.
Roloson is almost 40yo! YIKES!
I don’t want any part of a 35+ Goalie unless Ricky is 100% and the guy is viewed as a true back up…(like our GM a few years back)
If (as he is) DP is a question mark, we should bring in someone younger who has a chance to become a number 1 goalie.
If someone wants to give us prospects or picks to take the contract of a Goalie, I would do that has well. (Gigure-Theodore)
Garth needs to explore the trade market for top goalie prospects…(CB says #2 is not enough-so maybe not).
Pretty sure the QMJHL MVP is an unsigned 20 year old goalie…..I wonder if he is a legitamate prospect?
they need to take this slowly and safely. dont let him play until he is 115 percent. there is no rush. realisticly we wont contend for a couple years so next year i dont want to see him until after 30 games into the season and a 100 percent confirmation he will be fine.
Doc, look at the record of Rick in the stretch run and see the kid backs them into the playoffs, as his numbers suffer the higher the pressure. He has a win streak before or in early march then falls apart. He’s not clutch.
The ASG he was named to, not voted in, and he got in when the #4 goalie opted out.
Team USA - Miller opted out. He beat out Conklin and who else?
He makes acrobatic saves like Brent Johnson and who else? He doesn’t have the discipline ot the Smiths and Fuhrs and Richters and Broseurs or the talent of Hasek to play like him. He could be better but lacks discipline.
Now mock fundamentals but he steals pucks from his defensemen, sends them scattered when he plays the puck and just lacks the ability to instill confidence in this teammates when the puck is near him. He could remedy that but he never does save one season.
The name of the game is TO WIN. Rick wins a lot. but loses as much. I didn’t even mention his propensity for late game goals he gives up. It’s all in the stats and game logs if you care to dispute it.
Like I said, talking him up ain’t helping. Talking about these issues the past few years instead might have meant the difference between a goalie who exerts less pressure on his joints through smart economical motions and a goalie who lacks discipline and is always rushing back into the net and thus hurting himself.
Sorry, Doc, he’s not amazing, he’s unfocused and now about done. I wish we handled his development much better….
Just move on already. Give him another chance next year, but let him do it as a backup. We need someone in here who can backstop the damn team, as a No. 1 goalie. DP is not that guy. He can’t stay healthy, and he suffers a major injury every freaking year.
It’s tiring, and to be honest, I think a majority of Islander fans are simply over it. It was a failed experiment, just another in line with all the wacky experiments that go on here. Go get yourselves a goaltender, because DP is done. Don’t kid yourselves people.
I agree #80. You can’t blame the teams he’s been on. Ricky was hyped by Milbury without knowing how he would perform at the NHL level, and we all fell for it. (Me included) We had Roberto Luongo and Mad Mike traded him. That should have told us how much he knew about goaltenders. Someone mentioned that we should have kept Osgood longer and gave Ricky some time at Bridgeport. I agree. He might have developed into the premier goalie we all wanted him to be. He’s given us flashes of greatness, but thats all. And now he’s injured, and we may never see what he might have become. I agree with many of you that he might not be back, and thats the sadest part.
The problem with him flopping around is that he is often out of position when he does it, and he allows many goals that way. Plus, for a goalie who is always down on the ice, he lets in way too many 5-hole goals.
I don’t have a short term memory. When he was 19 it was okay. Now, he’s 28. It’s not entertaining anymore; it’s annoying.
And yes, I do appreciate a goaltender who is fundamentally sound rather than one who wanders from the net, lets in soft goals, & is always laying on his stomach.
DOC, you’re forgetting all the times Ricky wandered out of the crease and cost us goals and even games late in the 3rd period. Ricky is good, but a long way from great. He was considered an up and comer and showed flashes of brilliance, but I hate to say it….He’s no Lundquist.
I wish DP the best and hope he can make a full recovery as should every true fan. Why would you push him in the rebuilding phase, let him take as much time as he needs to regain his form of a few years ago.
On another note, how does Mike Milbury have a job with NBC. He is the best they could come up with ? Really ?
Papineau..theres a blast from the past…another stellar trade on our part !
Everybody is hating on DP
You have the right to but remember few years ago he was a stud.
I’m pissed with all these injuries also but sign Anderson or clemmenson
Clemmenson was amazing for NJ
wasn’t craig anderson the guy who stole the show during the core of the four weekend by making 50 saves?
So much medical speculation on this comment page and none of your names start with DR. Get past it already, DP will be fine. Injuries take time to heal, so give it some time for f@#*$ sake!!
Papineau was once compared to star Steve Yzerman, but those comparisons never came to fruition at the NHL level(according to Wilipidea). Now scouts compare Matt Duschene to Steve Izerman.
@ChrisTMC…he did chose to come back and play injured. Lets stick to facts please.
I don’t think anyone on the board “hates” DP … they are expressing their opinions as to the quality of his play pre- and post-injury. Some people seem to think his play when healthy was superstar quality and others think he showed flashes of brilliance but lacked consistency game in and game out. I agree with the latter and Rick will never be considered one of the greatest goalies by anyone outside a handful of Islander fans (notwithstanding Brodeur’s praise of Ricky last year). Stop being such drama queens thinking everybody hates DP because he’s injured and hasn’t played a full season since 06-07. Everyone knows it’s not his fault and nobody questions his work ethic or desire to get back on the ice with the team. Reality is what it is and management needs to move forward under the premise that the team needs to carry on without him. The fans need to accept DP’s potential retirement due to injury as a very real possibility and as such, everyone’s opinion is respected on this board.
#96
1) we are not the useless media so we can speculate
2) it is not speculation…his knee and hip injuries are FACT.
Given the facts you cant just turn around and say DP will be fine when the guy is seen limping all over the place
#96 — Yes — Craig Anderson is that guy who had 50 (or was it 50+?) saves against us in an Islander loss. I forgot that it was the Core of Four game.
Ricky was probably a top 10 goalie before he got hurt….He was never going to justify MM’s crazy goaltending manuevering…but if he stayed healthy he would have been well worth the 4+ million per year. I don’t think complaining about him play is fair…..he was a very good goalie….but not Broduer or Luongo.
The team was never really very good in his tenure here. This team has not been any more than a bordeline playoff team since Peca blew out his knee.
Sign Craig Anderson to a long term deal. 3-5 year deal. 1.5 million per year as a solid #2 possible #1.
I thought Ricky was at his best in the 06-07 season…after the shaky start. His biggest goaltending issue, same as Fleury, is playing the angles. He was fast enough to make the “acrobatic save” to compensate, but late into that season, he really paid attention to learning the angles, and he had to make less of those types of saves while putting up better numbers. Even though he made the all star team the year after, I thought he actually took a small step backwards with the angles in 07-08. Just my opinion.
Rick DiPietro is a great goalie. He is very fundamentally sound, his athleticism, rebound control, quickness, positioning, play of the puck and his will to win are fantastic. He has plenty of success to his name despite playing on horrible Islander teams (that’s right most of the teams he’s played on were horrible and only half way respectable because of DiPietro being fantastic).
I can’t believe anyone bashes him on this site. Truly there are a bunch of Ranger fan posers/posters on here.
Loungo traded twice and could be traded again this year. Hasn’t won anything. Ricky beats him head to head almost every time they play.
Ricky isn’t a coward like Loungo, like I saw right in front of my face in Tampa when despite his teammates being outnumbered, despite being challenged by Cloutier big ol Loungo was too scared and too poor of a teammate to fight with his team. That’s a coward in my book and no one I’d want to play with or coach.
People are missing Chris Osgood all of a sudden? Oh, I know he looks good right now because of winning the cup last year and maybe winning this year but that Detroit team is amazing. You put a healthy Dipietro on that Detroit team and they may never lose again. Det’s own fans were calling him OsBAD all year,he only turned it on the playoffs. Do you remember how many soft goals he let in while an Isle? Do you rememember how many wrap around goals Tor scored against him in the playoff series? I’ve never seen anything like it he looks one way and refuses to move his head, while the other player skates around and puts it in a wide open net while Osgood is still looking the other way and only realizes he’s been scored on when the goal light goes on. If Osgood was the Isles goalie you’d all really have something to complain about.
Ricky is fantastic and he is the Islanders goalie until we here otherwise. The team and the horrible training and medical staffs have badly mishandled his recovery. Just like almost every other player. Have you see the amount of injuries this organization has suffered in the past two years?
But also because the Isles have built teams of players who don’t care, who are pacifist, who won’t defend their goalies. Garth SNow got run one of many times and that was the end of his career. Ricky suffers a concussion after a player runs into him no one does a thing, Sean Avery then dives on the back of his head (after the whistle) driving it into the ice and no Islander nor NHL justice, thee are tons of other examples……Frans Nielsen.
Give Ricky & all the other Isles proper medical, training, and support and watch them flourish but stop bashing a good player just because you like to gripe about everything and for the Isles stop bringing in cowards and soft players. It is disgusting to watch.
khabibulin and thibault as his backup.
my biggest fear with this club is that they do this rebuild the right way, in 3 or 4 years they are poised to be a legit contender but DiPietros health will be holding them back.
It was such a bad idea to sign him to such a long term contract. And they gave him that contract before he even had a great season.
Isles HAVE to sign a legit #1 goalie because I don’t see DiPietro playing in more than 30 games next season.
I cant believe the best player on our team, the only good player left from Mike A$$bury’s reign of terror, is a big “if”…
It would be so unfortunate if DP doesn’t return healthy and then stay that way…
I would only sign a goalie who’s name can be chanted along with the organ
Getting the right goalie thru FA will not be easy for Snow. Any FA goalie who wants to be a #1, won’t sign with the Isles, knowing if DP comes back, DP will be the #1.
Secondly because there is the chance that DP will come back the Isles are not going to want to offer big bucks or several years to anyone. They are going to need to find a good #2 that wants a chance to play more and prove himself; and is willing to sign a one year deal. I can’t see Snow offering any goalie a long term deal unless he knows DP is not coming back or is very unlikely to play a significant number of games. Snow can not make any long term plans for goal until he knows DP’s health. Therefore, they need a goalie who will agree to sign a one year deal at a chance of playing anywhere from 20 to 70 games (who knows how many games DP will play).
Was Clemmenson really that good, or did Jersey tighten up when Brodeur went down. Both Clemmenson and Weekes had pretty solid numbers for a couple of career back-ups.
Me thinks Clemmer wouldn’t be anything but a back-up on the Isles. Not a good option for a 1A.
Whats Tommy Salo doing?
**Everyone on this Blog loves Craig Anderson but what has he ever done, He plays in a goalie platoon with another decent goalie Voukon. He has never played in more than 31 games in any season…Joey Mac played in more games (49) and Danis played in the same amount (31). The Islanders can’t afford to sign someone on their potential…they need someone in goal with a proven track record who can handle a big workload.
Please Islander fans don’t go by the few games he has played against the Islanders, that doesn’t mean anything.
Salo retired due to hip pain. plus, hes up there in age.
I have first hand knowledge of anderson. My parents live in florida. I saw lots of his games. He is a very good goalie. He would be excellent for us.
maybe the plan all along has been to rest dp for this upcmong year so we could be in the lottery next year in the hopes of drafting taylor hall…..that way we have a healthy dp in 10-11, okposo, tavares,bailey, hall, streit….maybe thats why snow didnt get an experienced backup this past season
The isles have to sign a starting goalie and a back-up. They need to make it clear to whoever they want to sign as a starter that Rick will be the starting goalie in Name only and that the guy they sign will really be number one- - i guess they need to hire a guy who is really confident and does not care about the limelight and media speculation. Anyone fit the bill??
Sign Andrew Raycroft.
And sorry but this has to be said…that last pic of Rick…OOOFA….I can’t take how good looking he is. End puckbunny moment.
Please get well soon Rick.
a 1-2 punch of Dipietro and Anderson would be solid. probably the best goalies we have had since Osgood and Snow in 2001-2002.
CHRISTMC, you are correct sir, but conklin was not someone that detroit wanted to ride during the playoffs, and, i would also argue, that even if they stuck with ozzy, they still would have made the playoffs, as it is, they gave up a lot more goals than many people realized this year.
we’re not going to get more than a solid 2nd tier guy, unless we get lucky and someone comes into their own for us this year
I bet Wang would be convinced to shell out money for Craig Anderson if it were pointed out that we could replace the “D.P.” chant with “C.A.”
DP IS NOT THAT GOOD…he should retire!!
#103 agree 100%, right on the money
I believe DP will recover and return to form sometime next year. Isles need to do a better job managing his ice time and not rush him back from injuries. I think Isles mgmt let the situation get out of hand. No way he should’ve been starting in the beginning of the season. If they let him start the season again and he’s not ready then that may finish off his knee and career.
The “DP was seen limping” garbage has got to stop. As a matter of fact all the ‘hearsay’ crap… anyone can type a comment that may sound legitimate, or they have some source to the facts about seeing him limping, but it’s all garbage. Who really knows??
What I do know know is that injuries heal. DP will heal, he will get on the ice, and do the best he can to bring himself back to top form. And the Islanders Org will take careful steps to assure this because his health is THAT important to this team.
Here’s to a healthy DP in 09-10.
Strummer’s Army - #106
POST OF THE YEAR!!!!
ZING!!!!!
Khabibulin = 1 year deal.
And sign MacDonald to a two way contract.
Done deal…
DP should take as long as possible to get as close to 100% as he can.
DP’s injury lead to the lottery win this year. If’s he’s a no-go in 09-10 then so be it. Taylor Hall here we come!!!
2 years from now, building through the draft and getting a healthy DP…
LOOK OUT!!!
DP was never good, get rid of him while you can. He is a waste. Sign Luongo after next season.
CB, any chance the Isles are interested in Swedish goalie Gustavson. I’ve heard there are a few teams in the running (as he is a free agent). Are the Isles one of them. He is still young and good. I believe he played in the Elite league last year and did very well.
Put Garth back in goal. At least that will fix our GM problem!!!
sign Scuderi, he will stop enough pucks that we won’t need anyone in net
Luongo is awesome if your team can score 8 goals during an elimination game. Plus he’ll be asking for twice the amount of money DP makes.
Do it Garth!!!
I agree with post #106. Strummers Army is correct. DP is a great goalie with an amazing skill set. Handles the puck better than anyone, I mean anyone including Brodeur. Put a team out on the Ice in front of him and he compliments the defense rather well. Firey too, cant question his heart.
Isles hostage@88- your facts are wrong about the all star game and olympics. Miller was injured and didn’t go to the olympics and the others keepers were grahm and esche.
Also, it was tim thomas who was the #4 at the ASG and got in because marty bowed out and not dp. Ricky was named one of the 3 all star goalies that year. He did get the start because of marty and only let up one goal. Price got voted in last year…maybe because all the mon. fans voted him in. Its more of a true honor to be selected than voted. Not every team has to have a rep, like a few years ago when the isles didn’t have one
Get well Rick! Hope you prove everyone wrong.
yes get well soon Rick and come back and show us just how slightly above average you really are.
#133 better puck handler then Broduer?
#106 better overall the Luongo?
keep building through the draft. once you have your core of players that the islanders developed, you bring in some free agents. it is nice to see the islanders doing it right. smart drafting and don’t overspend for players.
#106… The people that are bashing DP, are not “poser Ranger fans”, they are fans of the sport and can admit when someone on their team is not good. I love the Islanders, DP being the #1 pick and is okay at best, and Lunqvist is #205, and is considered one of the leagues top goalies. Big problem. DP should retire. After multiple knee surgeries, and hip surgery, he is not going to be any good. Trust me.
Very interesting name to think about who maybe available
Mattiew Biron - Flyers
Flyers have 3 goalies now - Newly signed Ray Emery - Biron - Nittimaki
He’d be very serviceable as a 1a goalie
kudos Strummer’s Army, not only do you have the best “handle” on the site you hit the nail on the head. the constant bashing this guy gets is absurd. even with Tavares/Hedman this team is going no where unless DiPietro plays next year.
i’ve said it before, teams like the Senators, et al…would kill to have him.
Good, send him to Canada!
6 degrees of separation:
1 - Scott Clemmensen was a goalie for Boston College 1997-2001. Scott Gordon was also a goaltender at BC in the mid 80s.
2 - Clemmensen’s teammate at BC was Rob Scuderi (a native of Syosset). They won the NCAA Frozen Four in 2001 and lost in the championship in 2000 & 1998.
No decent goalie is going to come here and sign a long term contract–certainly no goalie who is good enough to be a successful starter in the NHL–because of Ricky’s contract. We would have to overpay to such an extent that it would not be worth it. The best the team could do is get a goalie in the last year of his contract who will want to be great for one year here and then leave via free agency.
anybody who thinks DiPietro is some great impact goalie just hasn’t been paying attention…just go down the list of every team in the NHL, and almost all of them now have No.1s who are better than Ricky…at best, Ricky’s in the lower half of NHL No.1 goaltenders…and that has really crushed this franchise considering the assets that were moved by idiot Milbury to draft and play him as an overrated No. 1
#46, Frei - How do you know that Ricky hasn’t worked out? Do you know him personally? If not, then don’t spread false rumors. Whether he did or did not, we all are suffering because our franchise goalie seems to be on the mend all the time.
he is the only player on this team that can actually carry his team to victories.
Khabibulin 1 year,1 way, thibault 2 years, 2 way.
“anyone who says” Rick DiPietro isn’t in the top 5 NHL goalies hasn’t been watching the games nor the league nor listening to oppossing announcers gush over how good he is.
All this because he hurt himself in that STUPID All-star competion.!!!
oh yea and ….DUUUUUBIEE
#111 - Do you seriously think that DP is coming back ?
Guys- Tuoko Rask
reasons- Boston has Thomas as their starter. In brief experience Rask has been impressive, and the biggest reason- he is YOUNG and can grow with the core. Prob. one of our 2nd rounders would do it. perhaps Bostons own 2nd. Bottom line Nokelainen for Rask
#148 DiPietro top 5 NHL goalie? really? I guess I’ve been in a coma, ’cause just off the top of my head I’d take the ALL of the following guys straight up for Ricky
Bodeur
Lundquist
Fleury
Khabibulin
Backstrom
Mason
Miller
Luongo
Kiprusoff
Osgood
Nabokov
and a bunch more I’m not even gonna bother looking up (like Hiller in ANA) who don’t have the ridiculous contract or bloated hype
DP injuries were more Isle mgt fault. They overplayed him bigtime.
I said it long before gordon did in papers. Isles season will depend on health of DP or if we can get good goalie if he cannot play.
I have no interest in Bulin as he gets hurts and will demand big $. Biron would be great option in the event that DP retires.
I do like Anderson option. Clemmonson would work on 2 yrs deal but is pretty old. NO THANKS to Conklin.
I’m the biggest Tavares fan. But If you told me that DP was going to be 100% healthy but we had to take Duchene or Hedman, i would do that in heartbeat.
RB: FYI, if you want to talk ridiculous contract you included guys getting paid practically double what Rick is being paid, guys way older than Rick, and guys with lingering hip/knee injuries. But you would rather have a guy who earns 7M, is close to 40, and/or is dealing with lingering injuries than have Rick? You can certainly feel that way, that doesnt mean I understand it.
puck-o (152)
Rask is a stud and will be Boston’s back-up next season. He will slowly take over the starter’s role for the Bruins over the next couple of years - even before Thomas’ contract expires. He is not going anywhere - certainly not for a late second rounder!
I think DP is a great goaltender and I think his stats and selection to the ASG reflect that. He has carried this team when he has been healthy. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been healthy for over a year. On top of that, there is not much information concerning his recovery except the team’s token response that they “expect” him to be there at training camp. I also don’t put much stock into the people who say he’s been limping, my friend saw him, etc. However, I do put alot of stock into the silence from the team, especially from the player himself? Why would he keep quiet? Why would the team be so secretive if their franchise goaltender - in whom they have committed 12 more years - was definately on track in his recovery and they were confident he would be ready for training camp? I can understand keeping injuries under wrap during the season and playoffs but their continued silence now says to me that things are still up in the air and they don’t know for sure how it will all work out.
Thats just my opinion on the information I see in front of me. I hope he comes back because a healthy DP with the Isles young nucleus would be huge next year!
This thread reminds me of the chicken and egg argument. Which comes first an excellent goalie or a great team playing. in front of him. The answer is both and right now we have neither.
rb (153):
Are you talking the injured DP or a healthy DP? With a healthy DP you are way off on quite a few of those players:
Bodeur - too old but still one of the best
Lundquist - one of the best
Fleury - Are you drunk? He has rarely won a game for the Pens in the playoffs. He lets up too many rebounds. Yes, he is one game from a Cup but that doesn’t mean he is better than DP.
Khabibulin - Not better than DP
Backstrom - Good goalie but benefits immensely from the Wild’s d-first philosophy under Lemaire (see M. Fernandez as another example). We’ll see what he is made of under a different coach.
Mason - great, young up and comer. Again, though, plays for Hitchcock.
Miller - as good as DP or little better
Luongo - great goalie, better than DP
Kiprusoff - hasn’t been great in a couple of years. Hasn’t been really great since Calgary stopped playing coach Sutter’s all out defense scheme. Look at his stats, which have gone downhill.
Osgood - My god, you would choose Osgood over DP? Do you think it is a fluke that he is resurrected on the best team in the entire league? GM Holland has even said he refuses to spend his money on a top-flight goaltender and would rather put it into his defence.
Nabokov - great regular season goaltender on one of the most talented regular season teams in the league. Better than DP? Put DP on the sharks and see what happens.
I wouldn’t mind see Craig Anderson in net at all !! Interesting fact on Palffy , but his time here is WAY done! He’s putting up GREAT numbers , I guess his shoulder is better. Especially with all these younger players they are trying to work into the lineup ? Where would he play? I mean ANYTHING is possible with this team , so you cant ever rule it out…lol. Would be cool to see Ziggy out there again.
You cant compare the Slovakian, KHL or the SEL to the NHL.
all those leagues are NHL washups for guys that cant make the NHL.
I pray each day that DP could return healthy. Its just hard to accept given he is goalie. THat position is very stressful on hips and joints. Surgery is Surgery, its never going to be same.
Okay - have never been a great fan of Rick, my kids hear me shouting on the TV “get back in your net”, but bashing the guy is just classless. Yes, he has showed flashes of brillance, but not consistently enough. Let’s get real here. And part of his present physical problems are due in fact that “he wants to play all the time”. Sorry kid. When you are coming off major surgery, you can’t play all the time. You have to be mature enough to realize that not allowing the body to heal for long enough will ultimately cause your downfall in the end. And it has. How about he comes back as a forward or a “D”. I always feel that that is where he really wants to be. Our defense needs to play with him or any goalie as the LAST line of defense - not the first. Anyway, let’s hope for the best - JT and a #1 goalie with or without Rick sharing crease time. And me and 11,999 other fans will scream and jump for joy. (12,00 at a draft party?)
I really hope DP can regain health and comeback to form. Mostly from a personal reason that my nephew is A HUGE DP fan and it would break his heart if DP retires early due to injury.
Personal bias aside, I realize the Isles due need to have a valid backup plan. I think whoever we sign is looking at starting 50% of the season. First off any goalie worth his weight will not sign a two-way contract. Also I would not be opposed to signing a 30 something goalie, with the idea, that he can be a steady influence on our kids.
Heck I wouldnt mind sigining two 30 something goalies and trading one during the season for more picks.
I love how ranger fans, and sadly some of our fellow islander fans rip DP, and cast him off for DEAD-
Now I expect this from the unintelligent rag fan that suffers from the miserable existance caused by rooting for a team that is historically worse than pretty much everyone other than the Chicago Cubs-
But I’d hope for more loyality and support from the real islander fans.
It’s not DP fault that he was injured/reinjured and nobody can really question his character, heart, commitment, and desire to win-
The man is a competitor, and a great one at that- If he believes he can comeback, than he will, and he will do everything in his power to make it back, make it back quickly, to return to his great form, to get even better, and to ultimately lead us to many many victories in the future……
Dont Count #39 Out Just Yet…….
JT + DP + LH = Bright Future
two words - felix potvin - lol
anyone who puts Rick in the top 5 is clearly just a big fan of Rick.Which is cool but unrealistic.