2011-12 O-Pee-Chee - Rick DiPietro
Last night, the Leafs beat the Islanders for the second time in as many games. So, I feel entitled to throw some more barbs at them, knock them down another peg or two. Now, some might say that’s like throwing rocks at someone from a glass house, as I do in fact cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but I’m going to do it anyway. I mean, come on, the Islanders have become such a laughingstock as an organization. The way they look is just the tip of the iceberg.
This really is more about the New York Islanders than it is about Rick DiPietro. It’s not Rick DiPietro’s fault that someone offered him financial security for the next fifteen years (15 years!) when he was already injury prone. It’s not Rick DiPietro’s fault that the team around him is so awful. It’s also not really even his fault that the building they play in might fall down.
What is Rick DiPietro’s fault is that during the 2010-11 season, he wore the debacle of a mask you see above in National Hockey League games. The mask, belonging to Chris Osgood, made sense for old goalies like Osgood or Ken Wregget in 1987, but looked downright silly in 2011. InGoal Magazine questions this decision perfectly in an article from last March.
Having to wear this mask – not sure I mentioned it, but the Islanders play in the NHL, not Sunday beer league in a small town – might have been some kind of payback. Perhaps it was karma for being such a cocky youth that veteran teammates informed reporters that two seats were required for “Ricky” DiPietro, one for him, and one for his ego.
In closing, I have some news for you from every season since his 15 year contract was signed back in 2006: Rick DiPietro is currently out with an injury. Shocking.
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