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Longest NHL deal in history, NY Islander goalie DiPietro signs 15 year deal

tsn.ca — The New York Islanders will announce today that they have signed goalie Rick DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5 million contract.

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  • MaddDog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4The New York Islanders have a history of long deals.. in 2001, they signed Alexei Yashin to a $87.5M, 10 year deal.
    • ScottZed, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The Islanders have a history of bone-headed moves in general. Is there something in the air on Long Island?
    • atomicpoet, on 10/12/2007, -5/+5@ScottZed: Let's not forget that the guy running the show for the Islanders is Garth Snow -- a former goaltender who retired just recently, and who has never had general manager experience in his life. This is disastrous for everyone involved. What was management thinking when they hired him?
    • CGorman68, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15"The deal is believed to be the second longest in NHL history, only topped by the 21-year deal Wayne Gretzky signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 1979."

      Longest NHL deal in history, huh?
    • sockboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1From the sounds of things, this was all Charles Wang's doing. If I was Garth Snow, I'd be out of there so fast... the owner's out of his mind.
    • xpaladin, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0@ScottZed:

      Have you ever dealt with Long Island drivers? ;)
    • sillywampa, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@atomicpoet

      do you really think Snow is calling the shots there? Milbury is still in control, they just want it to look like someone else is.
    • roguescout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@CGorman68

      I would like to apologize on behalf of all rogues for the misleading title submitted by roguepirate.

      But do you expect anything less from a rogue? Misleading others is a highly respected roguish behavior.

      The fact he is a pirate does not help the situation either. I'm sure there was a considerable amount of rum involved in the poor fellow's decision process.
    • motionblur, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The Islanders have had great luck in the past with long franchise career players. Denis Potvin, Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier played most or all of their careers for the Islanders.

      They also happen to be 3 of the greatest ever. Especially Bossy!
    • ScottZed, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@atomicpoet

      I guess after Mike Milbury the ownership figured they couldn't do any worse. I must say though, I'm a life-long Canucks fan and we LOVED Milbury (Bryan McCabe & Todd Bertuzzi for Trevor Linden is the best trade Vancouver ever made).
    • form3hide, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0@motionblur -

      potvin sucks!
  • zipzot, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5...You sign someone like Martin Brodeur to 15 year deals.....not over rated, unproven, ego-maniacs like DePietro. I wonder if ex-Isles goalie now Isles-GM, Garth Snow, has his finger prints on this....I doubt it - you don't want your first NHL deal you make to be a joke like this one is going to be known for around the league - Charles Wang the owner pulled this one off...
  • MacGyver, on 10/12/2007, -18/+2Looks like the new algorithm still needs work. How did this make it to the front page with 17 diggs?
    • kendawg, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5stfu with your algorithm crap. thank you.

      This deal is crazy. The last player to get a deal like this was Magic Johnson in 1981. He got a 25-year deal worth $25 million!
    • xpaladin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I'm sure you can figure it out with some duct tape and a few paperclips.
  • atomicpoet, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1This works out to a measly $4.5 million per season. For a goaltender, this is a pretty bad deal -- especially since the goaltender has to be the best player on your team. He's basically just handcuffed himself for 15 years.
    • pras128, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0I don't look at it that way, DiPietro has been in the league long enough for me to believe this is the best he'll ever be. A 1 million - 2 Million a year type goaltender, if that contract is guaranteed money there's gonna be a lot of angry GMs cause this idiot just again screwed the whole idea behind the Salary Cap era.

      In fairness to The Insane Clown Posse though, there are some GMs and exec's who've come close to the Islanders management stupidity, but none as consistently as the Islanders. At least they have something to be proud about.
    • fitzfan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"This works out to a measly $4.5 million per season."

      Are you retarded?
      Martin Brodeur only makes 5 million, that is up there with the very top goalie's salaries, even though most wouldnt consider him upto their calaber.
    • existent, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Actually, Brodeur willingly took less to allow his team to remain competitive; he wants to win. From tsn.ca: "Brodeur has frustrated some players and agents in the past for signing contracts some felt were below his market value, such as the six-year extension he signed last January for US$5.2 million a year, less than six other goalies are earning after Tomas Vokoun's new extension was announced by Nashville on Monday.

      "Brodeur defends his contracts by explaining that winning matters more to him than being the highest-paid goalie. Not making $7 million right now will help the Devils keep their core, which was proved true when star winger Patrik Elias was kept on this summer."

      The bonus to the Islanders organization about this is 4.5 million becomes less and less every year. 4.5 million might be equivalent to the minimum salary in 15 years.
    • sillywampa, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2a 15-yr deal for a slightly-above-average goalie at $4.5M a year is ridiculous. He's not even a clutch goalie and has how much playoff experience????

      They've tied up 13+ million in 2 players for a long time. this is completely asinine and sounds an awful lot like a Milbury deal.
    • nfph, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"For a goaltender, this is a pretty bad deal"

      Not really. Goaltenders are notoriously undervalued in the league. A lot of people are scratching their heads at $6+mil for Luongo in Vancouver, and he's done much, much more to distinguish himself than DiPietro. In B-lo, we just signed Miller for 3 years at an average $2.5mil per year. And if not for a broken thumb, it's pretty questionable if Miller would replace DiPietro as USA's goalie. I don't think you're retarded, I just think you may be looking at this like a baseball fan... wait, did I say you weren't retarded?
    • darkcaps, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Let me ask you something atomicpoet. How much do you make per year? I bet its nothing close to this sum, let alone probably not even close to 50k a year. Also the best player on the team has to be the goaltender... I think every team in the NHL has a decent enough goalie to play, but it all depends on your defense and how they keep the puck out of the zone, the coach how they train the players to play the puck as a "team", and how you manage your penalties. One more thing, you don't handcuff anyone with a contract this big, like they said in the article Gretzky a 21year deal with Edmonton in the beginning of his career, now how many other teams did he play with? oh and what team did he retire with? contracts are meant to be sold to another team, if another team wants Mr rick so bad they will buy out his contract and pay him more.
    • Coffeedemon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"even though most wouldnt consider him upto their calaber"

      Are you nuts? Brodeur is one of the best goalies in the history of the game. Its a shame he's always been on the Devils who are known for defence - he tends to get forgotten or his accomplishments dimished.
  • smoothmedia, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Wang, the islander's owner, once told his scouts to go to Japan to try to get a Sumo Wrestler to play goal. He is the laughing stock of the league, and has just screwed the NYI for 15 years.
  • pras128, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3This guy is beyond retarded. DiPietro is barely an AVERAGE NHL Goalie, let alone a worth a 15 year contract. Wang is a moron. Since DiPietro's been drafted #1 overall he's accomplished close to nothing. He was supposed to be a better Martin Brodeur, he's nothing close.

    Wang needs to get smacked, idiot. Maybe their old-new, ex backup goaltender, General Manager had a hand in this retarded deal, heck I bet Milbury was involved too.

    I thought the Islanders were headed for highs after Kumar and Wang bought the team but Wang just made them the laughing stock 3 times this summer!
  • dawtmike, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Um, it says right in the article that is the SECOND longest deal to a deal Gretzky signed...
  • Jwoey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Did the submitter not rtfa?

    "The deal is believed to be the second longest in NHL history, only topped by the 21-year deal Wayne Gretzky signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 1979."

    its not the longest deal...

    dawt beat me to it.
  • mendicant, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1My sentiments reflect most people here. Just cause a guy has a good season is NO reason to sign a deal like this.

    Being from Calgary I'm immediately reminded of Roman Turek who was supposed to be our savior (yeah right).

    But then again, these are the guys who think they can build a team around Yashin...

    All that said, if DiPietro wants to be in NY, this is great for him. I hope it works out.
  • mendicant, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Oh, and in the article it mentions that Gretzky was the longest deal with a 21 year contract in Edmonton.
  • OmniMe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3charles wang needs his head examined.
  • Rusty34, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Even without Mike Milbury at the helm the Islanders still make stupid decisions. What a joke!
  • DarthCub, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Too bad you can't fire an owner.
  • gotkarma, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1And then there's Miikka Kiprusoff getting $3.5M / year. When has DiPietro carried the Islanders on his back to a Stanley Cup final?

    Wang is such a zealot headcase dunderhead douche bag!
  • artemus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Crazy... Absolutely nuts. But this is the kind of madness that you would expect from the Gary Bettman regime. A real commissioner would have stepped in long ago, and stopped this sort of nonsense from ever happening.
  • SPLASTiK, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If he proves to be a good goalie this could be a great deal for the team.

    As the cap rises goalies will be asking for more money and in a few years 4.5 million for a starter goalie will be a bargain.
  • bwesterman, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1Who cares?
  • MephistoX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4The Islanders have been going downhill for a while now, since the late 90s. They staged a mini-comeback four years ago but its nothing to bring the team back to their early 80s glory though.

    Still, they're my team and we're gonna win it..... eventually.
    • morgrar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hell yeah. They're my team too ;). I'll be the odd man out. I love the fact they signed him for 15 years.

      When everyone at the coliseum is screaming "DP!" and he owns some of the best players in the league, everyone can just nod and accept it.
    • NYIslander, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1While DP's contract is long, it does show that he wants to be here.

      Is Wang a good owner? Of course not, but he did give the team a solid financial footing which was lacking in the late 90's and despite his judgment he's not the worst owner in their history (Spano). All we need is a owner with a solid hockey mentality and monetary base and the Isles will be deep in the playoffs once again.
  • ottville, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0wow, nice way to lock up a good job security plan. buying out that contract 5 years from now is STILL gonna be pricey. i guess he did it for the love of the island too
  • Drexel, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Very glad i'm not an Isles fan. Wang is running this team into the ground.....
  • rohcky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2That is a very poor move. Most goalies in the league don't last more than a few years (on the same team), with the exception of the greats like Brody and Roy. Those Islanders sure like losing.
  • rampage3000, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"The deal is believed to be the second longest in NHL history, only topped by the 21-year deal Wayne Gretzky signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 1979. The longest deal in major North American pro sports is the $25-million, 25-year deal Magic Johnson signed with the NBA Lakers in 1981. The Islanders also signed Alexei Yashin to an $87.5 million, 10-year contract in 2001. "

    second longest
  • GolfDude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3the 21 year gretzky deal doesnt count as it was signed when he was with the WHA, not the NHL, and that contract did not last 21 years, especially after he was traded.... that 21 year deal was made just with 1 team owner, and that contract apparently wasnt transferrable...

    and it was the owner who made this deal.. not snow the GM...
  • stray, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They'll still come in dead last. AGAIN!
  • kirashira, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You guys are forgetting inflation. In 6-9 years that 4.5 million might be worth nothing compared to other salaries in the NHL if Dipietro can live up to his talent. Although yes Wang is an idiot...if you like him so much give him a 7 year deal max! 15 years is a little LONG.
  • roboninja, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I cannot believe there are actually people defending this deal. If you are an Isles fan, I do feel some empathy towards you. Your owner is a total buffoon, and your team will not be successful until he is gone. Other GMs around the league are laughing at your management.
  • beef_fire, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1One of the worst deals of all time.
  • inkubux, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Thankk god they gor rid of Mike Milburry so they don't make anymore stupid move or sign stupid contract...

    ohhhh wait a minute.....
  • tomashb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I just read at http://www.allaboutsport.info/story.php?title=Eightyear-Gunners-deal-Fabregas that Cesc Fabregas made a Eight-year so i guess DiPietro wanted to show him he could do better :)
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