DiPietro agrees to FIFTEEN year contract with Isles

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Rick DiPietro has agreed to a 15 year contract worth $67.5M with the New York Islanders. If this deal finalizes, this is just another reason why the Islanders may be the worst run franchise in all of pro sports. Charles Wang who owns the team is an absolute idiot, he obviously hasn't learned from the ten year contract he gave Alexei Yashin. That deal handcuffed the team for years. Of course, it doesn't help when your new GM was your back up goalie last year. But in all fairness to Garth Snow, he can't be any worse than Mad Mike Milbury, whose two legacies are A) years of shockingly nonsensical trades and B) beating a guy with his own shoe back in the 70s.

I'm just stunned, 15 years for DiPietro? He's going to be 40 by the time that contract ends. I wouldn't even dream of giving Kipprusoff or Luongo a contract like that, much less give one to a guy like DiPietro. It is really sad that an organization with such an excellent history is being ruined by their ownership and management.

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/9655413

 

[Kel Varnsen]

If it's possible for an organization to be insane, it would be this one.

 

[arthurracoon]

 

[boondockdrunk]

uhhh.... uhhhh.... 15 years?

uuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I don't know what to say...

 

[Aquendwato]

Yashin for Chara and a 2nd overall pick (Jason Spezza)
McCabe and Linden for Bertuzzi (McCabe went to Toronto, Linden back to Vancouver)
Berard for Redden
Potvin for Berard (I know they could've got Potvin for less, like a case of beer)
York for Peca (York. York?)
Parrish and Kvasha for Luongo and Jokien

When have the Islanders even been smart?

 

[howlincoyote2k1]

Well, to the defense of the Islanders, if DiPietro turns out to be an excellent, consistent goalie that can carry the Islanders a long way, then...oh, hell, I still can't justify this.

But then again, the guy (Charles Wang) hired his goalie to be the GM. Wow. Just wow.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Not only did they hire their back up goalie to be the GM, they fired their old GM after hiring him only a month before. I don't think that guy made a single move before getting canned. This organization is a trainwreck.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

But since the Isles have now opened this can of worms, here's an interesting side thought: if you were the Pens or the Capitals, would you attempt to sign Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin to some sort of lifetime contract before they are set to become a restricted or unrestricted free agent? The biggest risk is that if they have a career-ending injury, they still get paid for the duration of the contract (and maybe more importantly, I believe it would also count against the cap). However, being able to lock up a guy like Crosby or Ovechkin for that long of a term could be HUGE. I think they are the only two players in the NHL I would even dream about signing to anything close to, say, a 10 year deal.

In the end, I still believe it is too big of a risk, even for a young, dominant force like Sidney or Alex. What does everybody else think?

 

[howlincoyote2k1]

I wouldn't pull some 15-year BS, but I'd definitely lock up someone like Ovechkin or Crosby to something like 7 years. If things go well, I'll consider a contract extension.

However, with a 15-year contract, there's just too much risk. Especially with someone like DiPietro.