For years, Rick DiPietro has been thought of one of many largest draft busts of all time, and it’s onerous to argue in opposition to it. Chosen first general in 2000 by the New York Islanders, he was instantly hailed because the group’s goalie of the long run and round whom they might construct their franchise. But 13 seasons after he was drafted, the group purchased him out of a deal that they are going to be paying till 2028-29. It’s a black mark on the group, there’s no query about that, however little or no of what occurred is DiPietro’s fault.
Not solely did accidents fully derail his profession, however DiPietro was by no means put right into a place to succeed. Both he was thrown to the wolves on a weak roster created by a administration group that did not determine and purchase gifted gamers, or he was buried by a corporation that was ashamed that they chose him within the first place. Not even the best goalies of all time might have rectified the Islanders of the early 2000s. Whereas his tenure is certainly disappointing, he shouldn’t be thought of a draft bust.
Mike Milbury’s Mismanagement
Mike Milbury has gone down as one of many worst basic managers in NHL historical past. From 1995-2006, he led the Islanders to simply three playoff berths and 5 playoff wins and completed within the league’s prime 10 simply as soon as, coming in eighth place in 2001-02. His influence arguably induced the franchise to battle for an additional decade after his departure.
However in 1999-00, Milbury didn’t have that fame but. Certain, he was seen as an overconfident supervisor, however that’s what the Islanders wanted to get out of their four-year playoff drought. So, when a younger, hot-shot goalie determined to enter the 2000 Draft slightly than look ahead to 2001, giving up his school eligibility, Milbury noticed an opportunity to present his franchise an enormous increase. Not solely would he be making historical past by deciding on a goalie first general for the primary time in trendy historical past, however he would additionally solidify the group’s shaky crease.
DiPietro was removed from a foul choose, even at first general. In his first season with Boston Faculty, he received Hockey East’s Rookie of the 12 months, New England’s Most Beneficial Participant, and likewise was named the very best goaltender on the 2000 World Juniors whereas enjoying with Workforce USA. He was labelled as a future all-star and definitely somebody a group might construct round. Nonetheless, it was a dangerous transfer, with Milbury admitting, “The hazard spot clearly goes with a youthful goaltender.”
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However what made it a lot worse was the truth that, regardless of the danger, Milbury determined to go all-in on their new goalie. Moments earlier than making the choose, he shipped out Kevin Weekes, who had been the group’s starter that season, together with prospect Kristian Kudroc and a second-round choose to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fifth-overall choose, plus two extra that 12 months in later rounds. He then dealt his earlier franchise goalie Roberto Luongo, chosen fourth general in 1997, to the Florida Panthers. That commerce, which noticed Olli Jokinen be part of him in change for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha, has gone down as one of many worst in NHL historical past – not even the gamers concerned thought it was a superb transfer.
Hastily, the Islanders went from two nice, younger goalies with NHL expertise, to only one unproven netminder. It was brash and pointless, forcing DiPietro right into a state of affairs that gave him little room to fail. He needed to succeed, or the group was out of luck.
Loads of Ability, However Too A lot Stress
With few different choices, the Islanders gave the 19-year-old DiPietro the beginning function for the 2000-01 season. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t go nicely. In 20 video games, he put up a tough .878 save share (SV%) and a good worse 3-15-1 report, which pressured the Islanders to show to growing older goalie John Van Biesbrouck, who didn’t fare a lot better. However how might he? The Islanders had only one 30-goal scorer that season, and their defence corps was younger and inexperienced. Kenny Jonsson, Zdeno Chara, and Roman Hamrlik all completed with a plus/minus at or beneath minus-20.
DiPietro spent the remainder of his rookie season within the American Hockey League (AHL), the place he wasn’t a lot better, recording a .880 SV% in 14 begins with the Chicago Wolves, however a minimum of there was a bit much less strain for him to seek out his footing. He remained within the minors for all of 2001-02, and with fewer eyes watching his each transfer, he rebounded, placing up a stable .913 SV%, 59 begins, plus one other 20 video games within the playoffs because the Bridgeport Sound Tigers went all the best way to the American Hockey League (AHL) finals, the place they misplaced to the Wolves in 5 video games.
The Islanders gave DiPietro one other shot to assert the beginning job in 2002-03, however he as soon as once more struggled, beginning simply 10 video games and placing up a .894 SV%, and the Islanders shortly turned to veteran Chris Osgood, who, like Van Biesbrouck, additionally struggled, which led to the Islanders buying and selling him to the St. Louis Blues in March 2003. Whereas the Islanders floundered, Dipietro continued to thrive within the AHL and was a .924 SV% goaltender, which was among the best within the league.
Lastly, in 2003-04, DiPietro regarded able to deal with the NHL. He made 50 begins over the season and put up a powerful 5 shutouts and a .911 save share (SV%), which ranked forward of Nikolai Khabibulin, Olaf Kolzig, and Thomas Vokoun. In 2005-06 following the lockout, he took a gentle step backward, successful 30 of his 63 begins and posting a .900 SV%, however he was starting to indicate his elite ability; regardless of his weaker numbers, the Islanders had been even worse with out him, successful simply six video games over the remainder of the season.
The Document-Setting Contract
It was clear that DiPietro was on the verge of turning into a franchise cornerstone, and new GM Garth Snow knew this higher than anybody. The previous goalie performed with the Islanders from 2001-06, which noticed him again up the previous first-overall choose for 2 seasons, giving him intimate data of how he thought and labored. With that insider data, he determined to signal DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5 million contract in September 2006, the longest deal the NHL had ever seen.
Immediately, followers and analysts had been vital of the deal. Even NHL deputy commissioner Invoice Daly didn’t converse favourably of it, saying, “Time will inform whether or not this can be a superb choice or a foul one for the Islanders.” DiPietro had been good, however nowhere close to ok to earn that sort of cash. It was clearly a wager on the long run, however 15 years appeared extreme.
Admittedly, the deal seemed to be a good wager within the following seasons. DiPietro was instrumental in getting the Islanders again to the playoffs in 2006-07, then was chosen to the All-Star Sport in 2007-08. However the good instances didn’t final for lengthy, as a result of after almost six seasons with the franchise, the chaos and strain had been starting to take a toll on the younger goalie.
DiPietro’s Accidents By no means Stopped
In March 2007, DiPietro suffered the first of many concussions, inflicting him to overlook the rest of the season. One 12 months later, he underwent hip surgical procedure, and 9 months after that, he was underneath the knife once more, this time for swelling within the knee.
Knee points continued to come back up, inflicting him to overlook increasingly video games. By 2012-13, he was a shell of the goalie he had been. He hadn’t appeared in additional than 26 video games in a season since 2007-08 when he was chosen to the NHL All-Star Sport. His psychological state was fractured, undoubtedly aided by a number of concussions, and he was now not capable of play on the highest degree.
In an act of desperation, the Islanders minimize ties with their largest mistake, shopping for him out of his monster contract, which pressured the group to maintain him on their payroll till 2028-29. Luckily, his story hasn’t led to tragedy. After his hockey profession ended, he bought into broadcasting, the place he’s shortly turn out to be one of many higher up-and-coming commentators. Nonetheless, had the Islanders offered extra assist round him throughout his youth or introduced him up extra slowly, they might have prevented lots of these accidents. Whereas he could by no means have lived as much as his first-overall choice, he very nicely might have been a prime goalie within the NHL.
DiPietro Was Not a Bust
Each draft class has its share of busts; not even the primary general choice is secure from it. Some gifted junior stars merely can’t deal with the elevated strain and tempo of the NHL. However with all that was happening across the Islanders on the time, DiPietro was extra a product of ineptitude slightly than a bust. A number of highly-touted prospects did not make an influence with the franchise in these years, and had another person chosen the gifted netminder, it’s very doable he would have had a protracted and profitable profession. Sadly, all we will do is speculate, but when a profession is minimize brief by mismanagement, poor growth practices, and a string of devastating accidents, then that participant doesn’t should be known as a bust.
