Comments on: AN APOLOGY TO RICK DiPIETRODid not decline roster intro; he was not included

By: Chris TMC

Chris TMC — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:13:22 +0000

#64, he has started practicing in gear and taking shots, but you imagine he isnt healthy enough to stand and wave for 3 seconds???

By: jcapisles

jcapisles — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:58:28 +0000

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.

By: ...

... — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:54:34 +0000

#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.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:41:06 +0000

#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.

By: Alex G

Alex G — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:20:20 +0000

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

By: Figjam

Figjam — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:57:48 +0000

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.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:50:11 +0000

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.

By: UIF

UIF — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:46:01 +0000

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.

By: dlk1

dlk1 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:41:45 +0000

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….

By: Sparky

Sparky — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:12:50 +0000

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.

By: 19 Isle in NJ 22

19 Isle in NJ 22 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:32:37 +0000

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?

By: Jim Clark

Jim Clark — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:14:12 +0000

Just get healthy, DP. Right now I’m concerned with the Ottawa Senators match on Thursday.