BREAKING NEWS: Islanders sign Martin Biron
DiPROJECTION: Goalie will return strong, but slowly
Point Blank on Twitter
UPDATED at 5:40 pm - Well now we know for sure Rick DiPietro isn’t starting the season in the NHL, as we document below. Maybe he’ll be out even longer than we projected.
Larry Brooks of the Post exclusively broke the news that the Islanders have signed Martin Biron to a one year, $1.4 million dollar contract. The team has just sent out its official press release.
A few thoughts. Hopefully for DiPietro he’s on some island without access on his honeymoon. How’d you like to be Scott Munroe. “Hey Scott, I know you thought you had a chance of starting the year in the NHL, but you remember your Philly teammate Marty”?
At such a good value, Biron is very tradeable for a pick before the deadline if Dwayne Roloson plays well - even if DiPietro doesn’t have a perfect return from rehab. And how about this - Logan goes on vacation, Larry gets the scoop on an Islanders story. Amazing coincidence!
I joked in my DiPietro piece earlier today how Garth Snow has proven with Streit and Roloson that he’s good at signing UFAs and should do it more often. In the release, Snow says he now has “three bonafide number one goalies.” We’ll see about that. Now on to adding some size, toughness and skill.
Reality check: signing Martin Biron today is a good move, but this doesn’t make the 2009-10 Islanders any better. They already had Roloson. What this means is they are insured if DiPietro or Roloson can’t play, and maybe they’ll get yet another second-rounder for an extra goalie before the deadline. A good signing, not a breakthrough for the rebuilding program.
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11:30 am - Dwayne Roloson will play at least 40 regular season games for the Islanders this season. Rick DiPietro will play no more than 40 regular season games for the Islanders this season, and maybe a lot less. That’s because I believe Roloson will start most, if not all of the Islanders’ first 20 games of the jam-packed regular season schedule between Oct. 3 and Nov. 14.
That’s, of course, if the Point Blank DiProjection turns out to be accurate.
As August approaches - you know, the month Rick DiPietro is to begin skating on his own - it’s time to predict what will become of the team’s franchise goaltender. The team has said nothing for months and I do not expect they will between now and the start of camp, so my projections are based on conversations with people close to the team and to DiPietro.
Consider this my injured goalie version of John Tavares-Victor Hedman-Matt Duchene, except this will be our one and only segment.
DiPietro will not begin skating in early August. In fact, he may not even begin light skating on his own until late August at the earliest.
- As the team has said, he absolutely will be with the team for training camp in Saskatoon. Note that the Islanders never said anything about him being a regular participant. I don’t expect DiPietro to take part in any Saskatchewan scrimmages or pre-season games. You’ll more likely read about him in Newsday working one-on-one with his goalie coaches.
To summarize, my projection is that the original Islanders timeline, which the club set with him resuming skating in August, will likely be pushed back at least one month.
This is no longer Rick DiPietro’s team, and that’s good for everybody - especially Rick DiPietro.
His delayed-again comeback would be far from a crisis for several reasons. In Dwayne Roloson, the Islanders signed a legit No. 1 goaltender - one of the best value UFA signings of the month. (With Roloson and Mark Streit, Garth Snow’s so good at the free agent thing, he really should consider doing it more!) Former Phantoms goalie Scott Munroe will be the backup early on, but Roloson played more than 60 games two of the last three seasons. Even with a stuffed early-season schedule, the 40-year old can carry the ball. Nathan Lawson and Mikko Koskinen will be your goalies in Bridgeport.
As long as the Islanders don’t puck this up by getting cute with DiPietro health updates, this story will not come close to overshadowing the biggest one of October: the NHL debut of first overall pick John Tavares. Handled properly, DiPietro’s slow-but-steady return will not affect ticket sales and press coverage.
After some first-half missteps - and the still unfathomable decision to have DiPietro sit as a “healthy” backup - the Islanders got smart and were transparent with the media and their fans. I’m confident the Islanders will do the right thing with DiPietro this season.
Most of all, it’s not a crisis if the proper, cautious handling of DiPietro’s rehabilitation leads to him being stronger in the long run. Reports from those sources close to the team and the player are consistently optimistic that DiPietro, newly-wed and 28 in September, will get his NHL career back.
While the former U.S. Olympian and NHL All-Star has become that unique combination of Fan Favorite/Lightning Rod - here comes another round of “DiPietro cross-checked my dog” and “I know someone who knows someone who said Ricky isn’t nice” Comments! - the team is a whole lot better with DiPietro. The league is also a whole lot better when a talented and charismatic young man doesn’t have to retire well before his time.
Comments.
226 Responses to “BREAKING NEWS: Islanders sign Martin Biron
DiPROJECTION: Goalie will return strong, but slowly”
Please Wait
At this point, I’m not going to get bent out of shape at a poor short-term prognosis. DP could miss the entire season, so long as he comes back 100% healthy. If he comes back this season at 75%, what’s the point?
I dont care how long it takes, I just want him healthy. The game has a completely different feel when hes on the ice.
Nice post.
Take it slow and come back at 100%.
I agree with you on this Chris, we are in good hands with Roloson. And whats with the DP chant, his nickname is Rico, he even put it on the back of his mask?
Now sit back and watch all the nutty “DP” comments fly!
Scott Monroe can be the new Dubliewicz
If the Rick is done…
…Roloson better stay healthy
When in doubt go with conservative timeline. When this team is ready to compete for a cup we are better of with DP than without.
I think he should only come back when completely healthy. I think DP when healthy can be an all-star goalie every year, and it’s dissapointing when he thrown under the bus. All the guy has ever said is he wants to be an Islander and be the best, and unfortunately injuries have gotten to him. It’s probably eating him up inside that he missed a whole season and his career may be in jeopardy as a result of an injury.
i think it is the shame that we don’t know the truth about Ricky’s health.
Look at this from the following point of view - you buy the used car, you ask for the carfax report which shows all the “injury” history of the car
here you buy the season tickets to watch the games and you don’t know who is healthy and who is not.
Person who pays his own money in advance has the right to know the real condition of the key players.
You have a good history of being right with your predictions, so we all might as well start managing our expectations now. As long as they handle this right, I can be patient. I haven’t forgotten the many, many nights that Ricky was our best player on the ice.
I am very happy with that state of the Islanders goaltender rotation. Let DP recover slowly, while Roloson and Munroe get the team through the first half of the season. I would not be surprised if the Islanders call up Lawson, or possibly even Koskinen to play a few games. If DP is smart, it likely that he will be able to return sometime during the second half of the season. I just hope the Islanders continue to be cautious, because when DP is on, there are few goalies in the league who are better.
I’m with BillyIsle. Don’t rush him back, there’s no need to. Even with DP this current squad would be mediocre at best. Let him rest and let the team around him build. Roloson is a good interim replacement. And if DP still can’t stay healthy after Rolo’s 2-year contract, we at least have Mikko already in B-port.
I never said DP cross-checked my dog.. it was my cat.
That would be the ideal situation if it was to play itself out that way. Ive always been a supporter of Rick and I think he can be a top 5 goalie in this league. Might have been there already if he never got hurt. As much as people might not want to believe it, the success of this team will still largely rest on the shoulders of Rick. Im not talking about this season, but im talking about 2-3 years from now when we should be rolling into the playoffs. We need a healhty Rick Dipietro.
I’m a big fan of DP and can’t wait till he comes back to his all star form. There is no need to rush him back now that we have Rolie. He was an awesome signing by Snow. Can’t wait for this season to begin, there are lots of positives going in this year.
Im curious as to what will happen in Bridgeport once Ricky returns.. Will Munroe take the lead knock Mikko or Lawson out of a spot?
Great. The best fighter on the team will be in the stands.
Unlike a lot of fans here I’m a DiPietro fan. I hope he does come back strong and feel it’s in the best interest of everyone involved (team, player,fans) that he isn’t rushed. In the meantime Snow’s signing and drafting restocked the pipeline and put a competitive goalie between the pipes. Good stuff.
Did you hear that DP hates puppies and that he re-injured his knee kicking a child! LOL
DP can be great. I hope he is back to 100% as soon as he can be. But there is no reason to rush it now that we have a number 1 goalie this season. Garth made the perfect move getting Rolly. When DP will be ready to play every night Rollys contract will be up and prospects will be ready to back-up DP!
….”After some first-half missteps - and the still unfathomable decision to have Dipietro sit as a “healthy” backup - the Islanders got smart and were transparent with the media and their fans…”
1) Really? The Isles have been transparent with regard to Ricky? Perhaps we misread this post, but to out knowledge the Isles have been anything but “transparent”.
2) We’re not asking for operative reports/medical records, but few if anything they have relayed to the public rings true with reality. If Dipietro had another ‘minor’ procedure in the early spring you’d have to be wondering why he is still not skating almost 5 months later. Even players with total knee reconstruction are skating by now.
3) The fact that you yourself are doubting the Isle’s timeline for his return speaks volumes. The team is NOT being transparent, but is continuing their coyness, if not out right lies to their fans.
4) For the record we’d LOVE to see Ricky be ready opening night and carry your team to the playoffs, but another season filled with fits and (few)starts doesn’t seem to bode well for the former face of the franchise.
Agreed, this team is likely not playoff-bound next season, so there is no reason to rush DP back. Too many other weak areas need addressing for me to get too worked up about the goaltending.
I am a DP fan, I have always liked him. However already we are being informed that he will not skate in August which is fine. Its not The Islanders responsibility to keep everyone informed on his health status but taking his history of injury, and of course rumors I fear deep down inside that DP is done and he will not start another NHL game.
And I feel the Islanders know it. All you have to do is look at the signing of Roloson and the draft and the signs are all over the place.
It is, what it is. If we get Rick back 100% eventually, that’s gravy. I’ve written him off a long time ago.
Honestly, if I were NYI Mgt, I would rush him back, start him every game until he has to throw in the towel and retire early and walk away from the contract hanging over our heads.
quite frankly, I don’t care when he comes back…”Milbury’s Mistake” was never an elite NHL goaltender to begin with, and I’d like to see Mikko, our giant butterfly goalie with the microscopic GA average in the Finnish Elite League, get the back-up spot behind Roloson sooner rather than later
I’d say DP’s situation is at least a minor crisis, personally. Hopefully he comes back at 150% and completely redefines the position of goaltender. But the simple facts are you have a goaltender who, over three seasons since signing a heavy duty contract, has had two concussions, two hip surgeries, and at least two (likely three) knee surgeries. While not assigning fault to anyone, the circumstances themselves are enough to qualify at least as a major concern, regardless of when he returns to the ice. Imagine if we had signed a big name forward, say Marian Hossa, to a major deal and he had suffered the same injuries over the same amt of time. Would that not qualify as a “crisis”?
“Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” which it looks like Garth has done in this case.
Great article, and I agree with everyone who says to wait until he is 100% before even thinking about it. Hopefully it will be in the first half of the season, but if it takes all year, that is fine too. We aren’t going to be a cup contender with him in the lineup, and Roloson is an excellent alternative. And if Rick come back after the Tavares hype starts to die down, that is another batch of (mostly) positive attention that the team will receive. win-win.
Hey CB! No coverage of the DiPietro Wedding? I think we would have gotten a lot of insight if DP danced the “Hokey Pokey” or “Shout” at his wedding!!LOL! I think actually that the pick-up of Rollie and capable back-ups makes DP less of a story in most Isle fan’s minds. If he comes back great, if we have to move on, we move on!DP is terrific when healthy. I just don’t think he will ever be 100% again! We will see soon!!!
I have been waiting for a long time for an article that supports DiPietro. When he is on the ice, it is very easy to praise him for his great play and his spectacular athleticism, however, when he is not playing, he seems to be a lightning rod for negativity and criticism. People seem to forget the stellar performances he put forth in the 2006-07 and the 2007-08 seasons up until his injury. He is a top 5 goalie in this league when healthy, and he has the potential to be even better. I look forward to him coming back on the ice as soon as possible. Great read, CB.
I think 40 games for Dipietro is a little high. Sad for him, as I am sure he really wants to be in Vancouver in February. I see Rollie getting 45+ DP about 25 +/- 5 and Munroe the rest. Who do you see as the first call up for an injury, Lawson or Koskinen?
The guy has a lower body like a 100 year -old man and yet people think that the will be diving around the crease like he used to. He is done.
@Blizzard, actually it is their responsibility to inform us.
Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Im not saying i dont want DP on the team, just think that this team has to move on eventually without him..
Roloson could do 70 games this year if he has to. He’s up to it. He’s certainly not just a backup, as CB said. He’d be the starting goaltender for 20 other teams in the NHL. The AHL goalies should really try hard this year.
Nothing sparks a crazy debate like a Rick DiPietro post.
Get well soon Ricky!
P.S. When you buy tickets advance to a concert…do you need to know the status of the singers’ voice before you go?
I wonder if Wang is sitting in his office thinking “Why didn’t I let Neil Smith negotiate DP’s contract!?!?!?”
I also can’t wait for DP to be behind the nets, and healthy. As long he hasn’t suffered a new injury, that should be fine. Great to see Roloson will start out of the gate. But, improving the goalie situation also starts with beefing up the D corps….which Garth helped out by doing nothing! The plan is apparently to just hope our even-older old guys (Sutton, Witt), out injury prone guys (Martinek, Bruno), and our younger guys don’t get injured? With a soft F corps, that’s a tall order. Of course that’ll hurt whoever’s in the pipes.
I obviously wish that he comes back sooner, but I hope he’s handled with the best of care, so if it takes time it takes time. It was way more frustrating to me pre-Rolo…getting a guy like him puts me back in my seat. Great move by the Isles….and sounds like the same proper handling is being extended to DP too. All my support DP!
Whether DP comes back after 20 games, 40 games or next season, the comment that the team is better off with DP is utterly ridiculous. This is a guy with a serious injury history and a playing style that will likely lead to more injuries. He has TWELVE years left on his contract. Do you honestly think he’ll be playing through age 40. Sadly, the best thing for the Isles may be be if DP retires due to injury and his salary comes off the cap. Hopefully, after the Yashin and DP contracts, the Isles have learned their lesson.
I agree. No need to rush him back. Getting him healthy is most important. we know he is very talented when he plays. Will he ever be as good as Loungo. Not a chance. But can he top 7 in league. Maybe. Ease him back. And yes, this is no longer his team. While difficult to accept he will have to.
Thanks for the this entry Chris. Are you going to share more details about DP’s wedding? Was he able to dance?
Most of us wish well to him and 100% recuperation.
hopefully he is healthy and can help the team out whenever possible. i am a big dipietro fan and love watching the guy play but i don’t see the need to rush him back. when he is ready, he will play.
This team IS better off with a healthy Ricky D. Not half a one or %75, but a totally healthy one. We have waited this long, why not wait a bit longer and get it right. Snow has played this well. Roloson is very good and, at least, could bridge the gap between now and a few years when the Finn might be ready, or retire and leave it to Ricky D and the Finn. Ricky D will then star for 3 or 4 years as the Finn takes over or gains great trade value before he hits the age of unrestricted free agency. Plus, Ricky D being a number 1 at $4 million plus a season, by then, will be a bargain.
Nice article
If you paid close attention to what the team/docs said regarding his knee - the problem wasn’t structural it was inflammatory. With the advances in orthopedic surgery structural problems (rips, tears, ruptures etc) are usually reliably repaired with a high level of return. The inflammatory problem is a bit more of a black box.
Rick reportedly had severe inflammation 6 months after the surgery with it lingering long after. This is unusual - all the surgerical trauma is healed by then so its not physical problems (like the docs said, the knee was structurally repaired but there was persistent inflammation who’s cause was unknown). There are rare instances in joint surgeries where the immune system gets stuck in a positive feedback loop - severe inflammation continues long after the initiating event has healed. This is likely what Rick had, its not completely understood and offen recurs if another injury happens in the knee
If this is the case it could be acute or a chronic condition. He could return to all-star form or with his next minor knee trauma event it could swell up again and he’s done. If this is the condition that he had - nobody knows what Ricks future is not him, the docs, the team or the blogheads here.
One thing is almost certain though with both hips and a knee surgery he will get osteroarthritis early and there is virtually no way he plays out his contract
God I hope you are 100% right, CB- especially about Rick not playing more than 40 games. I hope that is the absolute upper limit of what he would be allowed to play and that they move very slowly easing him back into play.
40 games seems to be an unrealistic number. i’d project 20 games, with a majority of them coming after the new year…
he’s been off the ice for the most part of the last two years. it’s not like a forward/dman that can come back and play 5 minutes a game and work his way up to 20-30min a night. a goalie is front and center, so theres gonna be tons of off-ice workouts to get him back into game shape, which is why we probably wont see him between the pipes for a while.
an interesting sidenote. i saw somewhere that the islanders have the least (or close to it) amount of travel in terms of miles …yet they have the most back-to-back games out of anyone…we’re gonna see a revolving door of backups simply because of that.
“As long as the Islanders don’t puck this up by getting cute with DiPietro health updates….”
Chris, I think I detected a slight typo….oh, I get it…..you better leave it alone.
Geez, just retire already. There is no way after two hip surgeries, concussions, and all the knee surgeries he will ever be that good again. Let’s face it, he was never that good to begin with. All the, “He is a top 5 goalie when healthy,” comments are insane.
Dipietro kicked my neighbor’s cat!
Thanks for the DiProjection coverage. I hope he comes back. Although he made me nervous in goal in the beginning since he was more skilled playing the puck out of the net than he was at actually stopping shots, he did mature and change with the way the game changed (trapazoid), and was beginning to show promise of living up to expectaions and hype. I hope he WAITS untill he is 110% before returning, this way if his body cannot handle the stress we can at least be complete and move on with our newly drafted Giant Finns. I hope DP is our goalie, but if this is not possible, let’s all move foward to the next step- retire the Rick and bring in the Giants.
Honestly, sit him out for 2009-10 season so we can finish last again and try to land taylor hall or kirill kabonov in the next draft. We should of just signed macdonald again to guarentee hall.
That my goalie! I support Rick DiPietro and can’t wait for him to get back to full health! Seems like their approach is much smarter then last year.
CB, you mentioned yesterday the Isles might scour the waiver wires during training camp for an enforcer that may shake lose? Can you give some examples of some legit heavyweights who might shake free?
Really, after a year and a half of him essentially not playing, he is getting pushed back, and it is just another month or so?
Sorry, at this point I will believe it when I see it.
And after all this time, for the Islanders to let him anywhere near the ice before he is 100% healthy is insane. As you correctly point out, they totally mishandled him last year. Let’s please not make the same mistake again.
What’s with some of you folks wanting us to tank again? I’d rather watch a young, talented squad in the the thick of things for eighth in early March than the worst team in the league again. If they tank, let it happen in close games late in the season. A top-5 pick would be nice, but not at the expense of another season that effectively ends before Christmas.
DP will be back, and he will once again be a top-10 goaltender in this league. But we signed Rolo for a reason. Just sayin’.
Thanks for the update CB, but all of these reports are pure conjecture. It is likely that nobody - bloggers, trainers, his father, and even Rick - really knows how his body will respond to the NHL grind. The best thing the fans can do is just forget that he is on the club. At this point, you cannot assume that he will be a viable part of our lineup in the future. There is no point in raising your expectations. If he ever comes back, I will just treat it like an in-season trade.
Great post CB (as usual).
Glad many recognize what Ricky can (& will) do for this team - when he’s healthy.
This is the smart play. We’ve made the investment in an insurance plan (Roloson & Mikko), now let’s take the time to give DP a chance to get back to where he needs to be. He’s an ALL-Star caliber goalie - and someone who many times put the team on his back. We owe it to ourselves & to him to see what can come of it.
In the meantime, I agree 100% w/ Brother Rat (#34) - in that we need to address our defense. If Ricky has a fault, it’s trying to do too much. Well, let’s do what we can to make sure that who ever we have in the pipes (DP, Rolo or Mikko) doesn’t feel like they have to play the role of goalie & top pair defenseman.
Lastly, I don’t love the DP contract. I love the guy but his contract is insane. But it is what it is. Let’s face the facts - DP is not retiring. The guy is a warrior - albeit banged up @ the moment - but a warrior nonetheless. At 28 it’s highly doubtful he’s ready to retire.
This talk about DP’s injury being “career-threatening” is severely misplaced and completely exagerated. Maybe i’ve missed the actual description of the injury DP suffered to the knee, but my understanding is that he suffered a torn meniscus in his knee. How can anyone really believe that a torn meniscus is career-threatening? It’s not like DP tore multiple ligaments and tendons or needs microfracture surgery. DP tore a meniscus, easily treated by a competent doctor arthroscopically. For God’s sake, people have meniscal repairs done arthroscopically everyday.
A meniscal tear is not career-threatening. Hundreds of professional athletes have had the exact same injury and surgery as DP and have continued their careers.
This scenario with DP simply sounds like the doctor screwed up the procedure the first time around and rather than go back in to correct it immediately, the doctors and the team elected to let DP try to play on a poorly performed repair, which led to more complications. Now that the surgery has been done correctly (presumably) a second time, DP can go about the normal recovery procedure. It just seems that the recovery has been delayed not because of the extent of DP’s original injury, but rather due to a poorly performed surgery and poor decisions on rehabilitation that have set the process back many months.
My prediction (for what its worth): DP comes back this year and resumes his career, eventually getting back to his pre-All Star form and the injury-prone talk about him disappears.
I dont agree…Roloson playing 40 games the guy will be out of gaz towards the end of the season…the guy is 40-41 years old its bound to catch up with him, thats why i wanted Biron instead hes younger…anyhow i hope i’m wrong about Roloson.
IslanderFAN:
Roloson has played over 50 games each of the last 3 seasons and only got stronger as he went along.
Again too many are getting caught up in his age and not how he is actually playing. The old saying is “you are only as old as you feel.”
Roloson may be 40 but he plays like he is 10 years younger.
Isles should go after seidenberg, 28 solid d-man, can log a lot of mintues, and mainly he wont affect the rebuild as he is still young. Just my 2 cents!
I think Roloson will be fine as long as he is only starting 40 games. I would feel shaky if Roloson was going to take on more because as several posts have stressed, Roloson is 40 years old. Ricky eventually needs to take on more of a role as December/January roles around and take the reigns away from Roloson. I think this is a very smart way of bringing DP back into the fold. Quietly. The way the Isles handled things last year with him was a disaster, splashing falsehoods across newsday day after day.
I’m not sure what self respecting Isles fan wouldn’t be all for DP’s healthy return to form…
Roloson will be fine for 40-50 games. DP should not play the first 20 games. Let him rehab for a while and take it really slow.
I’m fine with waiting. He’s got 12 years to work the kinks out. As long as Garth covers the other options, I have no problem with DP easing in as slowly as he needs to.
Speaking of injured players, I don’t remember hearing anything “definate” on Sillinger with regard to his career and physical health. Would you be able to update us on his status and goals, CB?
They drafted 2 goalies. They signed a veteran. They signed Koskinen 3 seconds after the draft was finished. They have Ridderwall and Nilsson waiting in the wings in Sweden. I have a hunch the Isles are waiting to pluck a goalie in next year’s draft.
The writing is on the wall. DiPietro is finished.
Hopefully the two back up goalies running our 30th place team will have noticed the Islanders are tied with the Devils and Blackhawks for most back to back games. They should make sure Roloson’s back up gets plenty of work to keep this ancient Islander healthy and sharp so we can finish 29th.
I get the feeling the future success of this team (eventually) will involve Mikko Koskinen in goal.
Rick is probably going to be on and off for the rest of career (not knocking the guy). I just don’t think he’s going to be the guy in net when the Islanders really start to make a name for themselves as legitimate contenders every year.
what a waste of money
What kills me is that if DP so much as helps an elderly woman cross the street, it’s front page news on nyi.com for weeks. Yet, when there are legit questions that I believe fans should at least have SOME sort of answer to, everyone there is tight-lipped. If they were up-front from the beginning, a LOT more people would be behind him right now.
Managements secrecy has given him a bad rap.
As long as we keep DP away from the Mets training staff
DP is my goalie till I hear otherwise. He has been a solid Islander. Just take your time. I am fine with taking the whole year off. No need to play this year. Just get healthy for 2010-11
CB - your plan is fine but there is no reason while the Isles will follow your it. I agree that they will be more cautious this year than last but the communication will not be nearly as smooth as you predict. They will attempt to rush him back and he will attempt to rush himself back but hopefully, for everyone’s sake, reason will prevail.
I honestly think DP is a solid competitor and a legit NHL goalie. It’s the people that pull the strings that make me red with disgust.
Was he worth a #1 overall. No effin way.
Okay we have to deal with that. But then don’t pile on it the fact that you saddle yourself with fifteen years of mediocrity.
If they were a better team might he have a playoff series win under his belt. MAYBE.
If they were a better team would he be a top 5 goaltender… THAT’S A STRETCH.
He’s number 3 in a 50 mile radius, and some people here think he is the ANSWER.
He is a piece of a very incomplete puzzle.
Like everybody else here I wish him a speedy recovery. he seems like a good kid.
But to be honest with you, I’d rather have an inconsistent Ozzie than an untradable DP.
I’d hate to be Koskinen’s agent if he’s lights out. He will have to contend with the CAP, an owner that can’t make a dollar with a NY sports franchise and the fact that he will be trying to stretch the Goalie budget on this team to OVER $10M.
…and none of this is Ricky’s fault.
Wang never got to the “goaltenders are a rollercoaster… and you NEVER give them more than three years” chapter in Hockey For Dummies.
Well… while DP soaks in the tub, fans have to listen to a simulcast.
i say give him one more year off. why not. we are not gunning for the playoffs anyway. we have a reliable starter in roloson. part of his deal was probably you will play 50+ games this year and then we will see but you are getting 2.5 mil. DP is only 28. let him come back after almost 2 years off without mileage on his body other than the surgeries and maybe he can make it to the end of his contract.
The Isles won’t truly emerge from the Milbury depression until their clear of DP, Top 5 goalie? In the AHL maybe…
Chris,
Great post. With Roloson,and Munroe signed, I’ll take that over MacDonald and Danis any day. DiPietro will have enough time to get himself back into game shape, and when he is 100 % healthy, will be very effective with Roloson.
Per Daily News - Isles have signed Marty Biron to a 1 year, $1.4 million deal.
Anyone want to change their opinion of DP’s status? I do - now I have to think it is likely he is done.
DUDE WE SIGNED BIRON!
Sorry, it’s the Post not the News!
good move!
I just saw in the Post that we signed Biron. What the hell is going on?
WOW-plenty of Goalies….good one…..maybe we should have used our second rounder on a potential goal scorer?
if biron story is true, then I’d say it’s a long honeymoon for rick, with ice time in his dreams
dp is done! why do we need another goalie? we have 10000 already!
Well, now that Biron is playing for us, at least we won’t be losing to him this season.
Wow, signing Biron sure is interesting.
No offense to Rick or his fans but I’m just now starting to get the feeling that the DiPietro era just may be coming to a slow and drawn out final end.
The Islanders facination with goalies continues. Let’s count- DP, Roloson, Biron, Lawson, Monroe, Ridderwall, Poulin and the 2 goalies they just drafted last month. What the hell’s going on? I’d like to respectively disagree with you CB, DP is done!
OK … I was beat to the punch … Biron eh???
Something doesn’t seem right … you don’t buy a $1.4M policy and stack 3 potential #1 goaltenders on a “re-building” team … Snow is very very serious about making sure goaltending isn’t an issue…. all the while the Isles have SEVERE defeceinces in other areas …. like Offense and Toughness.
Question is … Are the Isles going to carry 3 goaltenders on the roster and keep one as a healthy scratch every night??? Seriously … what kind of contract did Biron sign …. I doubt it was two way … that means someone is going to sit with CB in the press box. Is Snow bold enough to send DP down to the Bridge and expose him to waivers after his first rehab assignment??? He might figure no one will take his contract and just might do that…. Snow has cajones that is for sure.
Players don’t have to pass through waivers if they are down there for conditioning after an injury
Well Isle in NJ #86, trying to squeeze DP through waivers sure would be exciting.
What do you guys think would happen if that were ever attempted?
Hey Islander fans it’s better we have more than looking around and losing a player or draft pick. We also can make a trade if we have to at deadline. Remember what I always say , This year we chase the “CUP” and we should keep the faith in the team.
Love the move Garth. Give Rick the time he needs and if he returns to form then you can move Biron. If he doesn’t then the Isles have a solid veteran duo who can help support a young, developing team, something they sorely lacked last season. No matter what happens I believe the Islanders will show marked improvement in the standings because of their standing between the pipes. I also don’t believe for a minute Garth is done with his bargain shopping, and I think we might be in store for a few more veteran additions, on short contracts, to help advance the rebuild.
other than biron being an asset, this makes no sense. let munroe be rolo’s backup to start year, we dont need ANOTHER goalie, especially 2 goalies who were #1’s last year. I mean heck, this isnt helping our rebuilding at all. we’ll be way too competitive, we need tanguay not biron.
i really like most of snow’s moves but this honestly means we’re not seeing ricky this year, if ever again. that makes me depressed, i love ricky d.
What is going on??? Why would Biron sign here unless he was guaranteed playing time on the big club!! DP has got to be out for this year! Makes no sense otherwise! 1.4 would have signed the muscle we need! Can’t wait for Snow’s comments! Maybe he is opening a “Train to be a GM ” school for aging goaltenders! That’s the attraction!
Man, not for nothing, but 1.4 mil!?!?!?! …..For a guy who doesn’t jump into the Free Agency pool too often, Snow seems to do a hell of a job. That is an absolute steal if that cap hit is correct. You just got a proven NHL goaltender (who now makes as much as Colton Orr) on a 1 year deal who will undoubtedly have something to prove. This is win win.
Good job Garth.
Wang never learns. He had to buyout Yashin’s contract and then he makes the same mistake again by signing DP for 15 years. I wonder what DP’s buyout is. Get ready to spend some more Wang-bucks Charlie.
Brilliant move by Snow here. He managed to sign two of the top three UFA goalies this year for a combined $3.9M! If, by some miracle, Rick manages to return to form by February, then we can always flip one of these guys for a second round pick or package a goalie and a roster player for a first and a salary dump. No more relying on Ricky. He will play when he proves that he has recovered 100 percent. If he can’t recover, he will retire.
My reaction to this is surprised. I guess this means the end of the Lawson era in BP. Koskinen and Munroe will man Bridgeport while Roloson and Biron will hold down the fort on the Isles until Rick is ready. No rush now. Trust me goalie pads are heave no need to even wear them until full healed and ready. When he is trade Biron.
Also, hopefully this year at the deadline they’ll be able to get some value for Doug Weight like they would have if he wasn’t injured last season.
Other then that just hoping that we get DiPietro back and to normal. It would be the best thing that could happen to the organization WHILE ADDING SIZE AND TOUGHNESS SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
im pretty sure its gonna be dp and roloson in net….biron is gonna hang up the pads and play enforcer for a while until we pick up someone to repalce him ha.
He does have fighting XP
Rish … I agree … Garth seems overly agressive inbetween the pipes … he seriously wants to steal some wins this season.
Vukota … I said after his first rehab assignment … I know players get a free pass to rehab… a player can’t stay down forever … I’m wondering how Garth is going to juggle the roster situation … It would take major guts for someone to pluck DP off waivers … heck … it would take a wacko … LOL!!
I also think this may make other free agents take a serious look at the Isles now that it looks like Snow isn’t going to be giving away any games this year.
Like I said, this team will eventually move on with or without him…
Biron was my wish at the opening of Free Agency, but Roloson and Biron. Talk about an upgrade in the Goaltending position. Same stance as always with DP, if he comes back 100% then great, but I just don’t see it happening anytime soon.
where oh where are all those people that said the 15 year contract was good….where are you..speak up…this is why u dont sign 15 year contracts
CB: Could you provide us with some inside on the enforcers that could be available for trade?
I really like this move. There’s no need for competition in the net for the Isles. We have DP as the future no. 1 goalie and there’s simply no need to have young players compete for a roster spot as a goalie. If you look at other rebuilding teams, such as the Kings, they opened all positions for competition to evaluate the talent level of the organization. The Isles have shored up the goalie spot with DP’s huge contract. Snow is now giving the young skaters on the team no excuses. It’s show up or get lost. No fringe NHL goalie to put the blame on when letting in too many goals.
Nice move! Automatic draft pick at the deadline!
OH, no, why do I see Ray Emery beating up Biron again while the rest of the Flyers beat up on the rest of the Isles?
this is an excellent signing. Very cheap and biron is a real solid goaltender. Easily can turn this into a 2nd or 1st round pick a few months into the season if DP is healthy.
Is this a joke… am i getting punked?
WOW. DP’s future is not looking good in my eyes right now……but then again it hasnt since he got hurt.
Good signing for both the start of the season & near the trade deadline…assuming of course DP actually plays.
Awesome signing. This truely allows DP to take more time and Biron/Roloson looks a lot better than Danis/MacDonald. Also with such a low cap hit, Biron could be swapped at the deadline.
Islander Killer Goalie Marty Biron has signed a 1 year 1.4 million dollar deal with the New York Islanders. It has become clear that Dipietro will be in training camp but will not start the season. No reason to rush him. This is probably not a playoff team, however if this team does over achieve and grabs a top 10 seed(yes the future is EXTREMELY bright if the islanders finish 10th this season) they now have 2 starting goalies instead of just 1starter and a goalie that has barely played in the nhl as a backup. Then if Dipietro comes back great, they can trade either Biron or Roloson for either draft picks or a playoff team in need of a starter or very reliable backup. They probably trade 1 or those 2 goalies either way. Love the move.
I’d just forget about DP for now. With Biron and Roloson you have about as solid a 1-2 punch in net as you will find anywhere in the NHL. They do have several positions to fix. I think any talk of Wang stifling Snow’s spending have officially been shot to hell.
CB, can we expect some trades now or what? Tanguay a possibility? Just keep Afinogenov the hell away from my team.
added to top of story:
A few thoughts. Hopefully for DiPietro he’s on some island without access on his honeymoon. How’d you like to be Scott Munroe. “Hey Scott, I know you thought you had a chance of starting the year in the NHL, but you remember your Philly teammate Marty”?
At such a good value, Biron is very tradeable for a second round pick before the deadline if Roloson plays well - even if DiPietro doesn’t have a perfect return from rehab. And how about this - Logan goes on vacation, Larry gets the scoop on an Islanders story. Amazing coincidence!
I joked in my DiPietro piece below how Garth Snow has proven with Streit and Roloson that he’s good at signing UFAs and should do it more often. In the release, Snow says he now has “three bonafide number one goalies.” Now on to adding some size, toughness and skill.
Reality check: signing Martin Biron today is a good move, but this doesn’t make the 2009-10 Islanders any better…CB
TO tond24: I thought it was a good contract. No one knew DP was gonna be injured for the last 2 yrs. If he was healthy and kept up his play like he did before his injuries, how good would this team be right now. I think Roloson and Biron are great signings, but we do need more size up front and someone to knock around some players heads.
“Adding Marty gives us three bona-fide number one goalies,” said Garth Snow
Awesome… we have three #1 goalies (that’s questionable at best) and Nobody whose put up 60 points since the Reagan administration.
Change my previous statment. I defer to my previous post.
Garth must have been reading your post. He actually got to work on signing more free agent….GOALTENDERS. Where is Felix Potvin?
Tells me that they aren’t too confident in DP starting the season, which is fine with me. I also agree with those that have been saying that this gives us a chip come trade deadline.
well Biron did fight emery so now isles have there enforcer
Rick is done. We all knew it.
The two conclusions I draw from this signing are that:
1) The Islanders, despite what they might say, are not sure what will happen with DiPietro in the second half of 2009-2010. They simply don’t know. As for the first half - he’s out.
2) They’re not going to roll over. They’ve taken two big steps to stop the puck from going in the net. Steps that are geared toward RIGHT NOW. They may not be done adding pieces.
that’s pretty cool… i wrote my post before reading yours. Great minds!
I do not thingk DP is done at all. lots of surgeries yes but give him one more year of rehab i think it will do him wonders and he will be back to form. Look at gary roberts the neck issues and then came back. I think this signifies that DP will be shuit down for another year and then he will be fine.
Enough with the “when DP comes back” delusions, why on earth would you want him back? Biron and Roloson are both better goalies, DP = Done Playing
I’m gonna apologize in advance for going over the post limit due to the additional storyline…
DP is on his honeymoon, and you think that the irony lies in “logan being on vacation”
There’s no way he’s getting more action on whatever island he’s on, than he is on Long Island. If he is, he won’t be ready to play until 2012 anyway.
CB: The Isles will be better this season. They had 25 - twentyfive - one goal or OT losses last season with two fringe NHLers in net. I think with the development of young players and a solid NHL proven tandem in goal that could give a 20 point improvement only in those close games. Not good enough for the play offs, but a lot more fun to watch.
all this means is that DP is not on schedule so snow took some action and got a proven goaltender IMO. ill tell you what though botta, i think it makes a little better then last year at least. roloson and biron vs danis and J-Mac
Well now, can someone tell me who has a better goal tending tandem than the Islanders? Great, affordable move by Snow. What a steal. As far as DP goes, take your time, and enjoy your honeymoon, see you in August. Any more pleasant surprises?
I like the signing a lot and I disagree with CB that this doesn’t make the Islanders a better team this year. They have a lot of young talent which means there are going to be games where mistakes will be made and the goaltenders will have to make big saves. Maybe my expectations for this team are too high but so what, I have seen a lot of losing seasons as an Isles fan so I am entitled to dream big. This signing will keep both goalies mental and physical games fresh, as well as giving the Isles a better chance to win every night. Good job Garth and the organization, still doesn’t completely fix the debacle with Kinger and Mears.
what will we hear more of ?
roll-ee
mar-tee
scot-tee
meek-ohhh
marty is one of the best guys in the NHL. he is a good goalie but a great person.
This moves means that Martin Biron now plays in the games that Scott Munroe would have. How are the Isles not better?
This is a great move. Such a good asset to have. Teams always need goalie depth and we have 2 very good starters and with dp 3. Let dp heal for a while and keep biron and roloson until we get a good trade offer for 1 if dp is healthy.
How many goalies can one team have? Only one guy can play per night. This DP injury bug has cost us a ton of money and draft picks. I would have liked to see that 1.7 million go to a position that needs to be upgraded. No need to mention what that is (very well documented). This is ridiculous at this point. This setback with DP is crippling. One step forward and two steps backwards. How can a guy go through all these surgeries, stay fit, not play for 1.5 - 2 years and come back and pick up where he left off? If he does not play at Bridgeport I will fall off my chair!
Wow, another goalie. Snow does realize that only one of these guys can play at a time right? The signing of Biron makes me wonder if we’ll see DP at all this season. This combined with the two goalie’s drafted makes me wonder how confident they really are he’ll be back at all.
I like the idea of being able to move a guy at the deadline but given what I’ve heard about this being a weak draft year I’m not so sure that has alot of real value long term. I think CB is right about us really needing some toughness. The Pens didn’t turn around as soon as they got Crosby and the Caps didn’t get a whole lot better as soon as they got Ovechkin. The Isles are still a long ways away from competing for a playoff spot. The best we can hope for is flashes of excitement from some of the young guys and continued growth and development.
great signing only a year at 1.4 thats next to nothing i cant believe he signed here for that. we ship him at the deadline for a fringe team looking to add depth at goaltender and make a playoff push and we get a pick and/or prospect back in return. great move for the rebuild
Great signing, but makes you wonder if Snow jumped the gun on the Roloson signing. If you look at some of the other goaltender signings this summer, Roloson’s price actually seems pretty steep. Since Garth hasn’t improved the team defensively,or offensively via free agency it makes you think the 2.5 spent on Roloson should have been spent elsewhere and you live with Biron as your number one.
I agree 126. This move should make us better. I’m not ready to say the Isles will finish last again unless we have the same amount of injuries. If healthy we should not be a pushover.
Further indication that DP is done IMO.
I didn’t say they weren’t going to be better this year than last year (Danis, Joey Mac). I said they weren’t better today than yesterday. If you think they’re distinctly a better team just because they added Marty Biron today, well…CB
No one said a distinctively better team CB. However, Roloson/Biron is better than Roloson/Munroe. They are ten times better than Joey/Danis. So, yes they are better than yesterday. No need to backtrack now because you were wrong.
So what you’re saying is this is a big improvement because now you have Biron playing the few games maybe Roloson couldn’t handle. Yep, that should put them over the top! CB
CB….get some thicker skin
It’s a good signing but we need to address some needs now. Hello? Snow? Size? Skill? Toughness? Bueller?
Didn’t realize I couldn’t mix it up and have fun in Comments with the rest of you. Nothing personal, dkfp and kurvers and everyone at that same IP #. Take care…CB
No one said put them over the top CB. You get someone to disagree with them and you argue like a five year old.
Is there an injury clause in the contract, to protect Wang???
If he doesn’t, it was a naive move, to say the least…
It’s all good CB…you are the best.
Either DP is done for all or part of this season or expect Biron to be packaged in a trade soon. Certainly by the deadline. Either way this is a good signing. Great value for a goaltender with a winning record.
Everyone is a little bit right in thsi situation except the ones saying DP is done. the isles are a better team today with Roloson and Biron than yesterday with Roloson and Munroe. However they are not markedly better, they are 4-5 games better that is all. to be markedly better they need t osign tanguay and an enforcer. hoepfully that is next
The bottom line is this is a good move. Signing DW and MB is low risk and does nothing to hurt the cap. This gives DP all the time to come back 100% and you do not have to rush young golaies to the NHL. You can never have enough goalies.
No big deal…a few games by Biron instead of Munroe…yippeee yahoooeee
Of course adding a player who knocks another down the depth chart improves the team…
I think what CB is saying is “Roloson > Biron. So how do we get better if Roloson plays most of the games?”
For me, having Biron available in case ROLOSON gets injured is the real benefit. Having Biron instead of Monroe for 20-30 games a year is a plus, too, though. Nobody can deny that.
(And please keep mixing it up with us in comments CB)
Enforcer please.
This move is probably only worth a win or two at most, unless Rolo gets hurt.
This does have to make you concerned for Ricky. Biron is not a stupid guy, the Islanders must have reassured him with promises of significant time (which he can only get if Ricky is out for a good chunk).
CB-youre allowed to talk smack too…
I disagree with you though…at the end of the day-this is a better team with Marty.
Youre right-trade bait!
Whats the over/under on how many games DP plays next year?
Fantastic move by Snow. The quicker the Isles move away from the DiPietro era, the better for the Team. DiPietro will never be the goalie that Roloson is, and Biron is at least as good as DP, if not better.
Snow instantly upgraded this Team.
How do some fans think that DP would start the season?? At best, he plays in December. But given his track record and history, his all-star days are probably done. And good riddance, imo.
This doesnt make the Islanders distinctly better….unless of course Roloson goes down with an injury and we have Biron to back him up instead of Monroe or who ever that is. What seems to be lost on many, apparently they have no intention of starting DP at all this season.
I mean lets be honest they just cut loose their radio broadcasters in a cost cutting move. If they had any inclination that DP would start at all this year do you see them signing Biron at 1.4 mil?
I know im a broken record and I truly hope I am wrong but DP is done!!!!
Who will play in a game first, Jose Reyes or DiP?
My thinking: DP is out for the season. Maybe he plays a few meaningless games to gauge his recovery.
Roloson’s backup plays 20-30 games. Biron gives the Team a significantly better chance to win than Munroe.
Biron definitely helps this
I’d like to see Biron get dealt at the deadline and then call up Koskisken to pick up some games with Roloson. If that happens, it could be a great signing.
tond24- the 15 year contract was a great idea, but of course it only seems like an albatross for ricky. what about the 12 years for richards, ive never seen any negative reaction to that. or ovechkin for 11 years, how about we slide this across the board and call all of these players unworthy of the length, even ovechkin
ricky took a massive risk by never being able to make more than 4.5 in a single year, sure it seems like a curse because of the injuries, but healthy he is a top 5 goalie in the league. richards isnt a top 5 player and OV will never be able to play as physically as he does for his whole career.
damn u ricky, come back and make all these people eat their words!!!!!! ahahaha
Management knows dp is done by making this signing
CB, what are the cap implications if Dipietro has to retire due to chronic injuries? I remember there was originally an issue with getting a long term deal insured.
CB hate to disagree with you but 20 to 30 games is hardly a few thats 40 or 50 pts up for grabs in the standings Biron instantly makes this team better unforunatly we probably played ourselves out of the basement this year
Okay now this is just ridiculous. If, and I honestly mean IF, Rick DiPietro ever gets back into shape for the NHL, he’s not going to be the same goalie. Tell Mikko Koskinen to work extra hard this year, and give him starts at the end of the season.
Biron might dress as the enforcer.
I’d rather have seen them sign Tanguay, but this is proof that DP won’t be playing this season, at least at the start. If DP is ready to come back, I guess one of Biron or Roloson can be flipped for a pick later on.
Thank you Garth…Love the signing of Martin Biron…IMO hes a better goalie then Roloson…but that gets me worried about DP but then again Biron hes only signed for 1 year, anyhow great move. now sign Tanguay
Really perplexing. I guess this means that DP is not starting the season with the Isles. I just wonder if this means that he’s out of their plans. You don’t sign a guy like Biron unless you plan to play him and play him a lot. I guess they could flip Roloson or Biron at the deadline. Not a bad signing if DP is out for this year, but I’d still like to see a signing of Tanguay or an enforcer. I think that’s more of a precedent for this team.
Pretty neat.
So I guess Garth believes in “building from the goal out”?
Goal covered. Next!
oh god here comes the Tanguay talk again
Does anyone still believe that DP will play this year?
wow thats all i can say.
You don’t go out and draft goalies with your 2nd and 3rd round picks and then sign two number one starters if you believe Rick DiPietro will come back in full form any time soon (if ever).
At this point the Islanders are obviously going to play wait and see and hope for the best. But they have probably admitted to themselves what they are afraid to admit to us: Rick DiPietro, once the face, hope and savior of the Islanders franchise is done. Maybe he’ll come back, but you sure don’t see any signs that the team believes he’ll be the same Rick DiPietro.
And is there any doubt that if Rick’s contract wasn’t what it is that the team would handle this differently? The Islanders know they fudged the Yashin contract and still went out and signed a GOALTENDER to an even more ridiculous deal. Maybe now they will learn their lesson?
Rollie and Biron are both better then DP will ever be.
If he is DONE does his money come off the books?
the best tandem since Chico and Battalin’ Billy
Yes, I believe that DP will play as many games this season as he did last season.
I like Roloson but he is 40. I bet Biron wins the starting job out of camp as well.
CB, how much money do the Isles still have to spend to reach the cap floor for 2009-10? Could you break that down for us?
Interesting move…and a heck of a bargain - wasn’t Biron asking like $5 mill from Philly?
I think they’re better than yesterday for one reason in particular - Roloson stays fresher. He won’t be forced to start 70 games now…he can split them fairly evenly with Biron. Doesn’t make them amazingly better, but maybe their goalies are fresh enough to steal them a few games late in the season.
This is a solid to very good tandem and a significant upgrade over last year. What that means as far as additional wins is hard to say but I like the move. Acquiring what may be undervalued assets that also gives you some cap flexibility is a huge plus. I think having Roloson and Biron is a MASSIVE improvement over Danis and MacDonald.
I am a fan of dp because he was a competitor and bleeds islander blue…. but CB to say we are not a better team, come on. What would have happen if Roloson goes for a bad stretch and we would rely on Monroe for a game(most likely a loss). Now with Biron, we have 2 legit number ones without worrying about DP’s health. Now with us drafting 2 goalis high and now signing two quality goalies, the writing is really on the wall without saying anything to us. For the first time I really thing his career is in real jeopardy. Regardless great move and we are a better team than yesterday. It is a shame for DP who I thought had a promising career. Still hoping for a comeback but 2 years without playing much is not easy.
I love the headline on PuckDaddy:
“Marty Biron signs with Islanders for 14 fewer years than DiPietro”
Rick has gone 1 year without playing much, not two. But I hope he does go two because I hope that they take all the time in the world letting him get back into things to see if he can still cut it as a goalie. Either way I am thankful that the Isles will not be in the spot they were in last year playing 3rd strong goalies every night. If Rick progresses well he plays some this year… and if he doesnt, he plays less or not at all. If he can come back to shape, he is the Isles goalie again. And if he cant, he retires and thats that. The Isles will not lose by being smart and patient- unlike last year. The only way the Isles WOULD lose would be if they did something patently ridiculous like buying him out while he is still rehabbing and everything about him is a question mark. Thankfully, that is something I do not believe the Isles are foolish enough to do.
I think it is a great move to get another experienced goalie on the cheap to use as both insurance and/or possible trading. What I do not get when we talk about adding size & muscle, why hasn’t Mitch Fritz been brought up. Isn’t he a better option than “the Wrecker”? Would think he is a better alternative than Joel. Jackman is also tough, do you think they consider him as the “heavyweight”???
And here I was under the impression that the brass at the NYI Point Blank sternly frowned upon back-and-forths in the comments section.
I have to agree that this indicates that DP is likely going to miss at least half the 09—10 season. I also think it will make the Isles a much more competitive team. A good move by Snow. Do the NYI now have more goalies in their system than any team in the league?
CB,
Now that we have solidified the goaltending how about go and get some goal scoring and a good defenseman or two…
Too many Steve’s now. I am changing to Viper. I really like Biron (especially at a bargain) and we still should give Munroe an opportunity. But let’s just give Marty a chance and up his trade value. Garth can turn him into a 2nd Rounder. Great move!
I personally think this is a good signing…and as i said previously if DP does not play at least 20 games this year….he will retire
people are forgetting rolly is 40 years old and it could be a likely possibilty he gets hurt or has a rough patch durring the season. In steps marty biron a boneified #1 goalie to fill that role or if need be the back up position. By having this it also will help the young guys gain some confidence, which may keep us in a few more games this year. Lets not forget rolly didnt start the season as number 1 with the oil but stepped in for a strugling goaltender. Say roles are reversed this season and marty is that savior. one more thing liek a previous poster had said the kids have no excuses now especially guys like tambellini. just my .02 cents
I don’t see any point of Signing Biron if you are a rebuilding team…the tandem of Roloson & Biron MIGHT get this team in the playoffs…They will probably know by December if DP will play this year, if he isn’t ready…he could possibly sit for the entire year (3 knee surgeries & 2 hip surgeries takes a toll on you body)…there is no point to rush DP back when he was spotted in May at a diner limping still….If they want to get some excitement sign Tanguay & Seidenberg to 1 year deals and they look like they have a shot at a playoff spot….I hate to say it but they probably have one one the best Goalie Tandems in the NHL.
Good point about the young guys gaining some confidence. It has to help having two solid vets. This move shows the Isles are not looking to just phone in the season.
Goalies……check. On to new business.
I suggest Cairns for GM and Webb for head coach. I’ll bet within 2 years, we’ll have 6 enforcers.
ps - Howitt and Vukota for assistant coaches
Must say I like this deal, especially for tradebait. As a former bandwagon fan of certin power forward drafted in the teens in this past draft, perhaps Biron’s former team from upstate NY trades for him . . .
Larry Brooks liked the Rolo and Biron signings and wrote a nice article about the LH recently. I’m getting scared with all these positive vibes from Larry.
We now have the 2nd best Marty B. goalie in the tri-state area!
Didn’t see this one coming. IMO DiPietro won’t start a game until December.
First off, to Chris, if you’re reading this, you are awesome. I’ve been following this blog for a few months, but this is my first post. And now, for my opinion on the Biron signing (which I also posted on Newsday) …
Kind of surprising, but a win-win signing for the Islanders, although it makes me wonder if DP isn’t coming along quite as well as we are made to believe (let’s not forget they just drafted goalies in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the draft). They still have to pay him for 12 years, but there is now no need to rush him back. The Isles are protecting their investment. Without DP, they arguably have a top two tandem that rivals anyone else in the league. If he comes back early in the season, then they trade Biron. If DP doesn’t come back this year, they still trade either Biron or Roloson to a desperate team looking for a goalie at the trade deadline. Either way, Roloson/Biron gives them two second tier #1 goalies and isn’t costing them all that much money ($3.9 mil total), and let’s not forget that the NHL has a minimum salary cap, which (I may be wrong) the Islanders are currently below?
The more I think about this, the more I like it. The Islanders were decimated in net last year. I think with Scott Gordon’s attacking system you need a great goaltender. It’s a fact, when D-men pinch there are going to be odd man rushes and you need a goalie who can bail you out. The Islanders want Gordon to implement his system full bore this year and he can’t do that without goaltending. He even said it himself. Gordon stated that no matter who the Isles draft that the biggest factor would be goaltending and Ricky’s health. This basically insures against disaster like last season. He must feel he can compete for a playoff spot if he has goaltending. God bless Garth! But in all fairness he will get a draft pick for either of the two at the deadline, especially if Ricky is playing by then. Worst case scenario; one more goalie to hit the bar with after you miss the playoffs. Biron, DP, Roloson, Munroe, Koskinen, Gordon, Sudsy, Snowy, Dunham, Nillson, Lawson, heck lets get Dubie to come along for old time sakes. What about Smitty? Goalies Gone Wild!
Add one more: throw in a sumo wrestler just for fun!
WE WANT THE TRUTH ON DIPIETRO !!
Enough is Enough!
He cost’s 4.5 mil a year.
What’s up!
oooook another goalie. how about an enforcer and a skilled forward?
I love this move. Gives the team great depth at the position and an excellent chip to add a 1-3 rd draft pick later. An NHL season can change depth charts, so Biron might look very good to a contender in March.
While I do not agree with every move, I believe Garth is doing well, as I agree with the method.
Wow, a pleasant surprise for once. I did not know that Biron plays defense! j/k This may not bode well for DP, but I prefer this realistic stance rather than the wishful hoohah we had last year. There’s a glut of serviceable goalies on the market, so why not pick up a pair.
i love this move for 2 reasons #1 if snow just went with roloson/munroe or dipi/ roloson noone would have killed him if dipi got hurt and roloson played 60 games. the fact he signs biron means he is not going to give up on the season. if dipi is back %110 fully healthy by the olympics and we are out of the playoffs you trade biron and his low cap hit for a first or second round pick depending on how many teams are needing goalies and how desperate they are. if we are sniffing the playoffs and dipi is ready to come back you can always trade biron for a forward or defenseman wherever you need help due to injuries or weak play. but the main reason i like the signing is because tanguay and biron grew up 1 hour from each other in quebec and are the same age and are supposedely good friends. i think tanguay will be signing with the isles within 2 weeks on a 1 or 2 year deal for guerin money around 4 mill per year. in the perfect world we sign tanguay for 3.5 morris for 2.5 and bertuzzi for 1.5.
Goalies gone wild? Sign me up!
I knew it. DP is done. He’s gotta be.
This trade doesn’t make the team better? I think it does. Nice move by Snow.
Any chance one of the goalies in the system is packaged with other parts somewhere for some other help?
I wish DiPietro the best but I really think the Isles have made the situation worse by being so coy with the whole thing. I think in numerous cases we have seen that being honest with the public is usually the best way to go. I think a good example has been with the players who have taken steroids in MLB and just said “it happened, sorry, please forgive me, I want to move on”. This doesn’t even have to be something so drastic. My point is just that each day the Isles aren’t open about DP (face of the franchise)’s situation, the worse they are making it.
Also while we obviously have plenty of cap room…DP’s contract (yes his contract that the Isles gave him, not DP himself)is actually costing us 4.5M for his salary + 3.9 in MB and DR + the investments in the 10 other goalies.
I guess all that being said though…good deal/steal getting MB for that price. haha
Oops not trade. It’s late. Nice pick up by Snow I meant.
Can’t wait for the season to start. It’s going to be interesting, at least.
BREAKING NEWS: THE ISLANDERS SIGN MANNY FERNANDEZ TO 1 YEAR DEAL….SNOW SAYS JUST FOR MORE DEPTH…….HA
Possible Enforcer Trade/Waivers Target:
LW - DJ King from STL 550K for this season
I know he is coming off his second shoulder Surgery & only played a few games last year…the Blues have a good amount of team toughness. He may be expendable.
This trade will hopefully bring us a nice player/pick/ prospect when we eventually trade Biron before the deadline to a playoff team. Now lets sign Eminger and Tanguay. Then trade Park for an enforcer decent player like Ben Eager. That would be an excellent summer
I hope I am wrong, but it sure looks like DP is done for the year or longer. Three free agent goalies and the two goalie draft picks. Garth, move Thompson, Tamby and Park, get a heavy weight or two, and lets have fun watching the the kids grow.
Paul (199}: I believe the truth on DiPietro is that nobody knows for sure. Everyone wants an answer. But sometimes, there just isnt one yet. This seems to be one of those times. The only answer is time… waiting on our part, hard work and rehab on Ricks part.
Thankfully, the Isles dont want to be screwed in net like they were last year while they wait to see how things work out.
Cost is not an issue here. Its funny how many people post how theey want the Isles to spend more money but then whenever they do people get all penny-pinchy about it. But as far as Rick, Rollie, and Biron- add all their contracts together Im sure there are still other teams paying more than that for the two they put in net.
I think there is a doubt about Ricky’s return. They can’t say it now but there are odds that things will NOT improve with Rick thereby leaving management with difficult choices.
Wang and Garth have long been keen on the goal tending. The type of activity at the draft and signings for goal are clear signs that “The Rick” has a tough road ahead and management is making the moves now for the short term and the long term.
They can’t say Rick is done but management has been shown signs that he may be. That simple!
This is a bit of a surprise, my guess is DP won’t see NHL game (unless he is in the stands) until after the Olympic break.
Biron is a great value signing.
How many goalies does one team need?
Once you add the all the prospects + pro’s + goalie coaches + head coach + GM = Where is Hornick I cant count that high??
Nice move. Will keep things interesting. No harm. Let’s just take DP out of the equation. If he come back…bonus. To all the nay-sayers especially in Canada (TSN website) - they’d be saying their GM is a genius if Brion went to their team at this price for only one year. Tell me one team who would not want Biron as a back-up or third string?
I like Biron and this seemingly makes them better, even though I know little about Munroe. I believe in our goalie tandem, but I hope we can turn one of them into a good trade if/when we need. I still want DP pack though
The only trade bait on the goalie roster should be Rick DiPietro. Roloson and Biron should be here to stay.
I played in a Men’s C league 3 years ago, and before that the Hicksville Comets in ‘87 for Bill Alonge….so if you need another Garth….just sayin.
CB…bet you a pie at Raimo’s that theya nnounce DP is done from Hockey by January.
heard from a guy who walks his dog with someone “close to rico” that dp is one of the posters on this message board… shhh Dp is listening lol
Bottom line on Ricky is he’s a great guy who wanted to be an Islander and lead this franchise. It’s not his fault, or ours, that Wang insisted on signing him for life, making half the fan base resent him. I want the best goaltender standing between the pipes every night regardless of name or salary.
DP is done. He might comeback maybe 2010-11 season, but he will injure himself in 3 games, then be done.
Nice move Garth. Roloson and Biron and two top goalies. Why are people saying we have Munroe? He has done nothing at NHL level yet.
UIF:”But the simple facts are you have a goaltender who, over three seasons since signing a heavy duty contract, has had two concussions, two hip surgeries, and at least two (likely three) knee surgeries..”
The islanders are trying to not be the joke of the league anymore, admission that they signed ‘Mr. Glass’ from the movie Invincible to a 45 year contract would in fact be reiteration that we are a punch-line of a franchise.
A mistake clearly, 15 year contracts are a risk that we have been burned on and prolonging of the inevitable declaration that DP’s healthiest seasons are behind him is just trying to keep the fire from spreading.
Whatever, Hank is better anyway.
To #218, Pete. I grew up a five minute bike ride from Raimo’s. Best pizza on LI! Not even close. It’s the sauce.
bye dp
Two games solid, two games making bad gamblesm two games horrid…..rinse…..repeat. DP in a nutshell. The only way I want him back is if he comes back disciplined. Forget the ASG naming, forget the accolades he gets every day from female fans and those projectionists. He’s a potentially very good goalie who lacks discipline and is paying for that lacking because he rushed back in. The game he REFUSED to come out of the net would land anyone else in hot water and have people demand trades…..well, the team is bigger than any one player and until Rick and management and our owner see this, Rick is destined to never be what he can be.
One more year off and may married life curb his ego. He’ll be a better goalie, better teammate and fans will like him more (the fans who holy roller him will always love the greatest goalie of all time).
If he’s going to come back the same DP - I’d rather he stay out of the game and not further hamper his chances of living pain free for the remainder of his time on earth. So either he uses his hips and knees to play smarter of he uses them on a family with his new wife.