AN APOLOGY TO RICK DiPIETRO
Did not decline roster intro; he was not included
UPDATED at 7:23 pm - In a statement from Chris Dey to Katie Strang, the Islanders President said it was “not intentional.” Got it.
7:15 pm - Rick DiPietro texted me early this evening, surprised I would think that he chose not to take part in the introduction of Islanders players at the home opener on Saturday. If you missed the minor brouhaha, many were surprised to see all injured players and scratches like Frans Nielsen, Jeremy Reich, Blake Comeau and others step on the ice during the pre-game ceremony, but DiPietro’s name never called.
The goaltender made it clear he was at the Coliseum early for the game and would have participated. “Do you really think that I would ever decline to be announced as a member of the New York Islanders,”? DiPietro said in his opening text.
We later spoke for a few minutes on the phone. Considering what I had written, DiPietro was surprisingly gentle about it and just wanted to clear the matter up for anyone who reads this blog. DiPietro did not know who made the decision to keep him out of the ceremony and he did not know the reasons why. He said his only priority these days is getting ready to play.
My apologies to DiPietro, whom I have shared a solid relationship through several ups and downs over the last decade while I worked at the Islanders and in this new life as a writer. Once again: DiPietro did not decline to participate. He was not included, although everyone else on the roster was. He has been around the team almost non-stop since the start of training camp. Just yesterday, he playfully gave me crap because I sat in his locker room stall to speak with Rob Schremp.
If it ever comes, I will await the Islanders’ reasoning on another website.
66 Responses to AN APOLOGY TO RICK DiPIETRO
Did not decline roster intro; he was not included
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Justin says:
Still odd to me. This seemed like a perfect opportunity for the fans to show DiPietro some love. I’m sure he would’ve received a thunderous ovation.
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Marc says:
Thanks for clearing it up, Chris, and as you speculated the Islanders’ explained their side via a quote posted elsewhere.
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Cain says:
I didn’t comment on the first post because I really didn’t think it was a big deal.
Time proved that out.
It seems to me, here in Utah, that Islanders fans want chaos, drama, or a reason to complain – someone to dog.
My hope, for all, is that this is a lesson to everybody to keep both this team and their life in perspective.
It is a game.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Relax and enjoy that we have a team to cheer for again.
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Jeff Kuntz says:
Not IPB’s finest moment. Coulda cleared this up by asking the Isles and/or DP before posting anything.
All that can be done now is learning from this.
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i4e11 says:
I don’t believe Dey for a second. You don’t just forget about Rick DiPietro. Sorry, that is complete BS.
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Isles_Goal says:
So it also must have been unintentional to leave him off the bus that took the rest of the team to Adventure Land. Boy…DP is being left out of everything.
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hale says:
to post 6..you are right on….so where was he at the CHARITY fund raiser today??
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hubie39 says:
This is a case of the Islanders attempting to fix their mistake after the fact. The goaltender who is signed for 15 years was left off introductions? Also, left off the group who went to Adventureland today? CB had this story nailed. The Isles are attempting to cover it up.
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How can they use that excuse and fail to explain why he was not at Adventure Land to sign autographs Today. Did they accidentally leave him off the bus? If so…doesn’t DP drive?
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Adam says:
I spoke to a security guy and asked where DP was today at Adventureland. He said that he called in last minute and couldn’t make it, but the guy did not have a reason. Honestly, let’s get off of his back, if even for the sole reason that we have two great goaltenders on our roster already.
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potvin rocks says:
So your saying that Islanders forgot about the “franchise goalie”, even though he was right there with everyone else. I think that is very telling about the way the Islanders look at him. And it might also be an indictation that Chris Dey doesn’t believe that he is a player and that he will ever come back from injury.
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StevieL says:
Puhleese!!DP doesn’t know who left him out of the ceremony!!!He doesn’t know why he wasn’t included!! If the Isles remember to invite Jeremy Reich, I think there is a good chance somebody would have said, “Hey, what about Ricky?”. Ricky wasn’t introduced because Ricky didn’t want to be introduced! I find it very hard to believe the Islanders decided not to include him. And if they did, I think he would have been just a little upset about it!
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mw147 says:
Very diplomatic of you CB to accept the explanation and apologize. But – I think this is damage control on the part of the Islanders and DP. And that is fine. We can all move on.
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AZS says:
Is this really that big of a deal?
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Its not that big of a deal, but it sort of is. Prior to JT he’s been THE guy…everyones waiting on him. He wants to be a part, and if he’s healthy I think we all want him to be a part. If Reich and whoever else, no disrespect to them, were intro’d, why not DP.
As far as it being a mistake…. Psh..yeah right!
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Mike from Oceanside says:
Was Rick “medically cleared to be introduced” or was there confusion regarding that as well?
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Since72 says:
As someone who thought (and still feels) that this is much ado about nothing, I still have to say that the explanations here are weak.
I think the real explanation for this and many past and future fiascos (let’s see, what comes to mind?) may simply be that the people in Islanders Corporate Operations have (I’ll be kind) Zamboni waste for brains.
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I 100% noticed that he wasn’t announced and I found it very odd. I also think it was done on purpose.They introduce the training staff,the medical staff,the injured captain,first and second year players BUT NOT THE GUY WHO SIGNED A 15 YR CONTRACT AND WHOSE NAME HAPPENS TO BE ON THE BACK OF PROBABLY OVER 75% OF ALL JERSEYS WORN BY YOUNG ISLANDER FANS……I think not
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JasonB. says:
OMG this is too funny! There ya go people, something else to complain about. Some people must be so happy! DP wasn’t brought to Adventureland, OH NO, what are we to do? Well lets come up with a bunch of assnine conspiracy theories and connect this to the team being low class. Afterall it has to be negative! Maybe Wang is an alien and his people flew here from another planet and took DP for the day. They’re definitely covering something up, somebody figure out this pressing mystery of the Adventureland mishap! LMFAO!
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TimQ says:
Sounds like the Isles could use a good PR guy to take care of screw ups like this. Anybody know if there is an experienced person out there to fill that orle?
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what a surprise that all the ricky lovers out there are supporting his diss to Islanders everywhere..I swear you people are like the abuse wives that keep coming back more. Rick is a self centered ego manic. To everyone that thinks this idiot is coming back and will lead us to the promise land. Get real. His career is done.
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butch91 says:
Who cares?
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Paul says:
It really doesn’t matter. The next time you talk to Rick tell him that many fans did not even flinch in not hearing his name, and if he ever decides to be a hockey player again and hear his name anounced in the roster call it will be under completely different circumstances then the first time he joined this oragnization.
The support will not be warm and he will have a mountain to climb to win that support back. Better yet, tell him that mountain is so high he is better off staying home, and by now he should be use to that.
Thank you!
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Blizzard says: …interesting. Could be an oversight……maybe out of respect for our current goalies? Who knows.
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eastonhockey says:
Dipietro was left off because Wang is paying him millions when THe Isles know he is unlikely to be more then a part time player(at best) for the next decade. Wang has moved on to find new buddies, wangs upset about not getting his mini city built, The Isles probably want Dipietro to retire so they dont have to pay him. So they wont be going out of there way to make him “comfortable” over the next ten years.
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bCarey says:
file this one under “who gives a crap?” and perhaps focus on the fact that this franchise and its fanbase have much bigger fish to fry.
great game by tavares and okposo last night. not sure if anyone noticed.
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west coast isles fan says:
Will the reason that there were not 15000+ isles fans selling out the home opener when every team is on equal footing with everyone else from a points perspective also be chucked up to coincidence?
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Starscream says:
The negativity around DP is sickening. As many have already stated, who cares? All that matters is if he comes back and is a winner. Billy Smith was not the greatest representative for the Isles, and one of the most unsportsmanlike players to ever wear blue and orange. Who cares? He won us four cups and his number hangs from the rafters because of that fact, not whatever he did/said off the ice. Same should apply here.
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JD (e_godard) says:
Thats good to hear. I was somewhat disappointed when I read the first mention of this. And it honestly didnt sound like Rick to not want to take part in a team moment.
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Rick says:
Simply put, if the decision was not DiPietro’s to make, then it’s a simple example of incompetence by either Chris Dey, those who put the introductions together, or a combination of both. While I understand the Islanders, and some fans, are hoping that JT & KO become the ‘face’ of the franchise, the simple fact is that DiPietro has been ‘the face’ for the better part of a decade.
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Dominic says:
Read between the lines. Botta doesn’t buy Chris Dey’s story for a minute. As I said in the last post this definately was not a DP decision though, managemnet is behind this and it definitely is not because they forgot to announce him. At the end of the day who cares…Dey will read his comment in the morning and he’ll have time elieving himself too..that’s how ridiculous it sounds.
BTW Mr.Dey …My Uncle’s cousins sisters roomate has a friend that knows a guy who saw Rick playing tennis this morning instead of going to Adventureland!….See how ridiculous THAT sounds! -
BringBackNyles says:
I am not the biggest DP fan , but this is nuts. I am sure DP did not say…no, the heck with the fans I don’t want to wave to them. The fact that he was there to me shows he wants to be part of the team. No one forced Wang to give him that deal, what was he upoosed to do , not take it?
BTW, great point #29. Winning does cure all. Smitty was great on the ice, but classless at times in interviews and during those handshakes. But he won for us and we all love him for it.
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teddyfusi says:
why does everyone love hating on dp
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DP says:
He wasn’t at Adventureland today because he ate some bad food last night after the game.
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Bob Bassen says:
Ok, I’ll bite too.
The only thing to me that is perplexing is why not have DP here, there and everywhere?!? Injured or not, *market* the guy. Don’t try to fool anyone into thinking that he is always just a week away from returning but utilize him as an Islander…an Ambassador of sort…anything!
Having said that, it obviously has been a *weird* couple of years with things relating to DP and maybe there is something else going on here.
But DP is an Islander, he competed, seems to love Long island and has always wanted to win…and while things are the way they are and until I here differently
I support him.
Go Isles! -
Until DP wins championships…please stop mentioning him in the same breath as Billy Smith.
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The Express says:
Spoke to a ticket rep at Adventureland today to ask him where DP was. He said “Who Knows” and when I asked him about the introductions, he told me that DP participated in the rehearsal of the introductions earlier in the day.
I think the Isles spin machine is at work…you don’t just forget someone. They’d have to be lined up before hand, and if DP was there don’t you think he would’ve asked why he wasn’t included?
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RHL Vin says:
Let me get this straight….they didnt forget Schremp and Reich who have been on the team for a little over an hour but you FORGET Rick DiPietro? The same Rick DiPietro that you signed to a record 15 year contract. Chris Dey is so full of it. Dey should no better then to BS then fans. The fans deserve the truth.
They ask Jeremy Reich but not DP…….Please.
No offense to Jeremy and Rob btw……….
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John says:
I’m not sure why we are even the least bit surprised by this Fisher Price team. Mr. Dey, you lie with the best of them.
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Chris TMC says:
“not intentional”??? What are you talking about, Dey? There is no possible way this was not intentional- we are not fools. This unfortunate decision was an insult to Rick and to Islanders fans.
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22 michele (22): You need to actually read the article before you comment, what you are saying does not make any sense in light of what Chris Botta wrote here. Read it and you will see what I mean.
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Mr. Wang, Please get rid of your son-in-law. Everyone of his decisions so far have been awful! Does he know anything about hockey or their fans? He is like a spoiled child whose daddy bought him an expensive toy just so he can break it! Hire people who care about this team–there are plenty!
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Priest says:
@38… They had to rehearse introductions? And they still didn’t put down some sort of mat to keep all of the players from falling?
Anyways, while this is a curious story that was worth mentioning, it isn’t the big deal that many are making it out to be. We clearly aren’t being told the full story, and we aren’t going to, so it isn’t worth getting worked up about.
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Merrick says:
This would be such a non-story if the organization did not have such a reputation for incompetency. Whether you agree or disagree, I’ve always felt the strongest argument for the TOH against the Lighthouse Project was to look at how the Islanders are run. Instead of traffic reports, the most probing question that could have been asked was, “why Mike Milbury?”
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Strummer's Army says:
This was never a big story. I don’t know why anyone wrote about it EVER! Worse it gave all these fans who hate DP without reason or think he cannot play when he is one of the best goalie in hockey (when healthy). He is one of the best in shootouts, the best at playing the puck, phenomenal rebound control, devoted to the Isles. As CB as mentioned he stays way longer then he has to at fan events making sure everyone is taken care of, yet some people badger him all the time, for no reason.
If your mad at Mike Milbury direct your anger there.
Rick Dipietro is our goalie. It is apparent now he reads this site since he had to get in touch with Botta and correct him. If I was him and had to read the hateful crap that some post on here, I’d actually want to dodge some “FANS”.
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How bout this..the islanders give us an update on the actual injury.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
CB – Read your previous thread … something seemed unusually odd about that DP situation. Chris Dey seems more and more incompitent from my POV as things unravel. DP even injured can never be an afterthought … How in the world do you forget a guy with 12 years left on his contract?? Come on … get with it Dey!
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Isles Fan says:
BS on the part of Rick, and BS on the part of Dey trying to cover-up. How do you “forget” to include Rick, and if you were Rick, wouldn’t you be in the runway and say, “hey what about me?” Stop drinking the kool-aid some of you; this was a major faux pas on both the part of the team and Rick – don’t cut them slack for it.
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... says:
#38, I’m not doubting that the ticket rep told you DP was at rehearsal, but I sincerely doubt that ticket rep was anywhere near the Coliseum for rehearsal earlier in the day. The sales staff doesn’t even work in the same town as the Coliseum…anything s/he would know would most likely be hearsay.
Mistakes happen, but if this was truly not intentional, this is a blunder the Islanders could not afford to make. Kudos for going on the offensive and having DP call Botta, and Dey call Strang, but this is all just far too suspect. I’m not blaming DP, my gut says it was a front office thing.
I watched my video footage from the game, the numbers appeared on the screen behind where the players entered and the jumbotron as well (two different graphics). That means the person who wrote the script, created the graphics, rounded up the players, and Rick himself all neglected to realize he was not included. I just don’t buy it.
That all said, mistakes do happen. The Boston Bruins forgot to announce Mark Stuart last year at opening night, and the guy was one of the only Bs the previous season to play all 82 games.
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Islesin2010 says:
A little relieved that he said that to you CB, but still how does a franchise just forget their 15-year man granted he hasn’t been in the spotlight for some time. LIke I said in the last post, I love Rick, and I hope he comes back healthy and contributes to this team, for his own satisfaction as well as all of ours. We all know he is capable, still the confidence/bordering on very cocky factor of his personality is something I’d like to see diminish as he matures. Keep that confidence on the ice though.
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hathead68 says:
People enough already. Crap, get off this guy’s back! What the heck did he do to so offend so many of you? That 15 year contract he signed… 4.5 mil per is underpaid when for the caliber goaltender he has shown he can be. He signed it for security and so that that reasonable cap hit wouldn’t hinder the team from signing top talent or from keeping our own, like KO and JT. Boston couldn’t resign Kessel because of the cap. The guy works his a** off to keep himself in great shape and he’s pushed to hard to come back last year. What a bum, right? He’s committed to winning with the Isles or he wouldn’t have signed for so long. I just don’t get how so many supposed Islanders fans don’t get it.
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Isle Be Damned says:
it was still a strange move to keep him out of the ceremonies.
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Jim Clark says: Just get healthy, DP. Right now I’m concerned with the Ottawa Senators match on Thursday.
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CB – When I made my post last night I had yet to read other comments. I’m very surprised that there was so much anti-DP comments. I know there are always a few people who will never be happy.
Granted … DP doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with Smitty when it comes to winning. However we have to keep in mind 2 major things.
1- DP was one of the best goalies in the Eastern Conference when he went down with the first injury. He had the Isles in 6th place without any offense. He was an All-Star selected by his peers and NHL coaches.
2- DP didn’t ask for 15 years. Who here would turn that down?
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Sparky says:
I think the isles actually did us a favor by leaving him out… As islanders fans, you want to forget there’re still 11 years left with Mr. franchise.
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dlk1 says:
I’m sure DP and Dey are cooking up a “Special DP Introduction” before the next home game….
In fact it would be perfect since it’s “Kid’s Day”.
DP can get introduced right before Sparky and just after Mr. Met….
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UIF says:
I think DP has said he doesn’t want attention on himself this time, and maybe this was part of that strategy. Many people aren’t taking it that way though, so maybe is a crisis of communication more than anything. As someone who repeatedly argues that DP gets a lot more praise than he deserves, I don’t see this as anything to get worked up about. The thing from this point on that will alter my perception of DP will be when he does his talking on the ice.
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Barbara says:
Doesn’t anyone think there was a “fear” that he would be “booed” because there are even those strange folks who comment some blogs who have an unreasonable anger toward him.
I worried about that before they started the intors. -
Figjam says:
A lot of comments from a non-story. All you DP haters will cheer for him when he comes back. If the Islanders are to win a Stanley Cup in the next ten years I promise DP will be the one in the crease. He is very dedicated to the Blue and Orange. If you follow the Islanders you know that, it you are a DP hater then you choose to ignore it. We need players that love Long Island and want to carry on the tradition. We should embrace them and not hate them.
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Alex G says:
Has anybody thought that DP is not as healthy as he likes to say or the team may be projecting? Maybe he still has a limp and the team didn’t want to showcase it during the intro’s or at a charity event.
Don’t bash the guy if none of us know the real story
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Eric says:
#61 I agree that Dp wants to play bad and win. When he is healthy there is no doubt he is a huge difference maker and one of the top goalies in the league. I never understood people saying that he’s been mediocure. He was the MVP of the islanders in 06-07 and before getting hurt in 07-08. He was definitely the best player on the team! However, if the islanders win the cup in the next 10 seasons, I strongly doubt its going to be with Dipietro in net. As much as I liked dp, Im ready to let the worst decision in the Mike Milbury Era go. I mean lets face it, Dipietro should have never been an Islander in the first place. It took the worst gm in the league to trade the bes goalie prospect since Roy thate EVERYONE knew about just to be the first to draft a goalie with the 1st overall pick. We drafted 2 goalies this year and signed 2. I know Rolosson is not part of the future and probably biron also. In a way I almost want this to be over so the Islanders do not have to take a massive cap hit for years to come as cruel as that does sound. I would love for him to come back and not get hurt and be an all-star goalie again, but what are the chances he comes back and plays at full strength and does not get hurt? It wont happen bc Milbury was involved. He’s the last piece left from that horrible era that the Islanders are still trying to recover from.
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#62, that’s what I was thinking. DP isn’t healthy and they didn’t want to showcase that. That’s why I think this appears to be a front office decision.
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DiPietro should have been the first person dressed in street clothes introduced. And for Dey to say it was simply an oversight shows how preoccupied this front office is with off-the-ice stuff. Look, Ricky hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the masses over the last two years, but it’s not because he doesn’t bleed Islanders blue and orange. I have a new-found respect for him because it must be hard to walk around with the burden of that contract and a body that simply doesn’t want to respond.
I think when he does come back we should all rally around him for a lot more reasons than simply we want him to help this team win games. He wants to be here. He wants to succeed. Bad luck aside, he deserves our support. More importantly, the front office needs to focus on the on-ice product more now that the season has started.
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#64, he has started practicing in gear and taking shots, but you imagine he isnt healthy enough to stand and wave for 3 seconds???
Probably just an oversight since he really isn’t expected back for a while and all those other players are either healthy scratches or not expected to be out an extended period of time.