Untitled Page

Rick Dipietro News & Rumors

Rick DiPietro to have sports hernia surgery
January 13
Newsday
 
"Rick DiPietro needs another surgery, and yet another of his Islanders seasons appears prematurely over. Newsday has learned that DiPietro will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a sports hernia. He has been out since he suffered a groin injury Dec. 3 in Dallas, an injury that nagged him long enough that the more serious sports hernia was discovered by the team's medical staff. "This is something I thought would just heal up and go away, and instead it got more and more debilitating," a somber DiPietro told Newsday Friday from Boston, where he will have the surgery. "I'm almost bionic at this point.""
DiPietro in line for 1st start
October 29
New York Post
 
"It wasn't an ideal sequence of events, and one day later Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro said making his season debut in the shootout of Thursday's 3-2 loss in Pittsburgh was "definitely a weird situation." But DiPietro, the oft-injured franchise netminder, always has done what he can to take lemons and make lemonade. "It's great, you get a chance to be a hero in a game like that," DiPietro said yesterday. "Spots like that [are] the reason we play the game and get you excited. It was a great opportunity, but it's unfortunate he [Evgeni Malkin] slipped one under my pad and we couldn't get that extra point.""
Islanders' DiPietro out indefinitely with concussion
October 15
New York Post
 
"The Islanders announced Friday that oft-injured goalie Rick DiPietro has suffered another setback, this time a concussion that will keep him out indefinitely. DiPietro took a Brian Rolston shot to the mask during Wednesday's practice that sent him to the ice for about 15 seconds. When he got up, he immediately left practice and his old-style, Chris Osgood-inspired mask had a large black mark and deep crack in it above the cage on the left side. Although the mask was painted blue, the underlying material was black, and the crack chipped off paint and was deep enough to fracture the integrity of the head gear."
DiPietro sticks with it after painful letdowns
September 14
New York Post
 
"The locker room smells actively rank, the smell only freshly dampened hockey equipment can produce. There are about 40 people moving about frantically, some Islanders players undressing and heading to the showers, some young public relations men in suits trying to rein in the chaos, and a handful of media people, including one cameraman, moving from station to station conducting interviews as if on a conveyor belt. The losing goalie, Rick DiPietro, steadies himself before the scrum and looks up as if he's in a hurry. He's already told the assembled ragtag group of media to come back once, and now they are reassembling in front of him as the rest of Nassau Coliseum empties out. It's"
Islanders activate DiPietro
March 17
New York Post
 
"The competitor in Rick DiPietro smiled Wednesday, when the Islanders' oft-injured goalie was activated from injured reserve after being out of action since out since Feb. 1 when he suffered a facial fracture in a fight with the Penguins goalie Brent Johnson. The time off also gave the 29-year-old netminder some relief for his surgically repaired left knee, which was going through intermittent swelling during the 21 games DiPietro did play in the first part of the season. "I feel good," DiPietro said Wednesday. "Any time you come back from an injury, it's a long and strenuous process, but it's nice to be back around the guys and looking forward to the road trip." The Islanders next game is"
Islanders activate Rick DiPietro
March 16
ESPN.com
 
"The New York Islanders activated goalie Rick DiPietro Wednesday, more than a month after he was sidelined by a punch during a game. DiPietro fought with Penguins goalie Brent Johnson in the Feb. 2 game and was felled by a clean left to the right of his head. DiPietro ended up with facial fractures, which were discovered in tests the next day. "It was tough to tell at the time," DiPietro said. "Your adrenaline is rushing so hard that fortunately in a fight like that you don't feel anything until afterward. It's unfortunate and frustrating and every other emotion you can throw in there.""
Net loss is story of Isles' season
February 6
Ottawa Citizen
 
"Nothing is going right for the New York Islanders. They play in the league's worst building, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and are stuck here until their lease expires in 2015. They haven't won a playoff series in 17 years, haven't been to the playoffs since 2007, and won't be returning this season. They've got one of the game's brighter young stars in John Tavares, but it's lucky they got him through the draft. Otherwise, wild horses can't drag players here. In a Natinonal Hockey League Players' Association poll of 318 players released last week, the Islanders were voted as the team they'd least like to play for. That poll had been given real-life validity recently when goalie"
Islanders' DiPietro out 4-6 weeks with facial fractures after fight
February 5
New York Post
 
"It went from embarrassing to serious very quickly for Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro, who announced Friday he will miss 4-6 weeks because of numerous facial fractures resulting from a punch he took from Penguins goalie Brent Johnson during Wednesday's 3-0 loss in Pittsburgh. On top of that, there's swelling again in DiPietro's surgically repaired left knee, which very much puts in jeopardy the rest of the beleaguered netminder's season. "It's unfortunate and frustrating and every other emotion you can throw in there," DiPietro said at the Coliseum with a deep purple welt under his right eye. "You don't ever want a broken face to be the reason for extra rest, but you keep telling yourself"
Penguins, Johnson knock out Islanders
February 3
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
 
"Brent Johnson already had 14 career shutouts to his credit, so losing one really wasn't a big deal. After all, it's not every day a goalie gets a chance to land a haymaker. Johnson knocked out the Islanders with his spectacular play between the pipes and then personally knocked out New York goalie Rick DiPietro in the final seconds of the Penguins' 3-0 victory at Consol Energy Center. Johnson won't get credit for the shutout because he was ejected, but he'll be on highlight reels forever, which isn't a bad tradeoff. "It was like a video game or something," Penguins forward Mike Rupp said. "It was funny watching Johnny go down there and how confident he was." In the final seconds, with the"
Dipietro leaves Isles' 5-2 win with groin strain
January 4
Newsday
 
"Backup goalie Nathan Lawson was spectacular in relief in securing his first NHL victory, and John Tavares and Matt Moulson scored two goals each last night as the Islanders beat the Flames, 5-2, for their sixth win in seven games. But it did not come without a cost. Two days after the Islanders traded veteran netminder Dwayne Roloson to Tampa Bay, goaltender Rick DiPietro went down in the second period with a groin strain. DiPietro's injury doesn't seem to be serious; he said after the game, "It was a little tweak and I'll be back as soon as possible.'' But the worrisome moment revealed a larger issue of concern: General manager Garth Snow took a big risk trading Roloson, especially given"
Islanders put DiPietro, Mottau on IR
December 22
Newsday
 
"Rick DiPietro is back on injured reserve, the swelling in his surgically repaired right knee still not allowing him to get on the ice after he last tested it Saturday morning. That means for the next two games, Wednesday at home against the Lightning and Thursday in Newark against the Devils, Jack Capuano will choose between Dwayne Roloson and 27-year-old rookie Nathan Lawson, who got the surprise start in Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Coyotes. Roloson, who hasn't won in his last 12 starts (0-11-1) dating to Oct. 18, said he was no more upset about not starting Saturday than he would have been had DiPietro been healthy and gotten the call. "You can't worry about things you can't"
DiPietro sits out game due to swelling in surgically repaired left knee
December 19
Newsday
 
"Rick DiPietro said if he had it his way, they'd have to peel his "dead corpse from the crease." His latest setback, however, is much less serious. The 29-year-old goaltender said he has been experiencing swelling in his surgically repaired left knee, although that didn't keep him from practicing Saturday during the team's morning skate. DiPietro said he's confident this is a minor issue and he simply wanted to play it safe. "I obviously wouldn't have been out there skating if it was something serious," DiPietro said. Coach Jack Capuano, who named emergency call-up Nathan Lawson as last night's starter, didn't seem worried, either. "I'm not too concerned. It's nothing serious," Capuano"
NHL, NHLPA agreee to new rules on contracts
September 4
TSN.ca
 columnist Darren Dreger
"The NHL and the NHL Players' Association have reached an agreement on an amendment to the rules that govern long-term contracts. The two sides have also agreed to extend the 5pm et deadline to complete the paperwork involved with the Ilya Kovalchuk contract situation. Kovalchuk's 15-year, $100 million contract with the New Jersey Devils has been approved as part of a new global settlement. Deals like those signed by Kovalchuk, Roberto Luongo, Marian Hossa, and Marc Savard will be the last of their kind."
DiPietro expects to be at Islanders training camp
August 7
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro says he's expects to be ready for Islanders training camp when it begins next month. "Yes I have been skating. My legs feel great and I am looking forward to taking part in Training Camp this season," DiPietro said in a Twitter conversation with fans on the Islanders' website. The oft-injured goalie with the 15-year contract has played 13 games the past two seasons. His best season was 2006-07, when he went 32-19-9 with a .919 save percentage in 62 games, right after he signed his long-term deal. Asked if he expected to play at least 30 games this season, DiPietro answered, "I always set those goals to be 100 percent healthy. Right now I'm not putting a number on how many"
Islanders shoot down Dipietro car accident rumour
July 22
TSN.ca
 
"The New York Islanders have shot down a rumour that goaltender Rick DiPietro suffered a broken shoulder and pelvis in a car accident, stating that the report was a complete fabrication. The alleged car crash was initially reported by an anonymous caller on 1050 ESPN radio in New York and quickly gathered steam via Twitter, with some reports stating that DiPietro had passed away."
Islanders' DiPietro: 'Isn't a wasted year'
March 24
New York Post
 
"Neither Rick DiPietro nor anyone else with the Islanders is ready to say that DiPietro has played his last game of the season, but with the goalie still not permitted on the ice because of swelling in his surgically repaired right knee, the odds of him suiting up by April 11 seem remote. But even if he winds up playing just eight games this year, DiPietro considers it a success. "This isn't a wasted year,'' DiPietro said while the rest of the Isles prepared to play the Rangers at the Garden tonight. "I proved I could come back from a major surgery and play in the NHL and win hockey games. That was the main focus of this year. Does it [stink] that I haven't been able to go out and play"
Islanders stranded indefinitely without DiPietro
March 2
New York Post
 
"Want to sum up the last few years for Rick DiPietro and the Islanders? The goalie entered the NHL's two-week Olympic break with his surgically repaired knee in good shape and not having missed a practice due to injury since returning on Jan. 6. And now, on the eve of the team's return to the ice tonight against Chicago at the Coliseum, he's out indefinitely with swelling in the knee. Still, the 28-year-old was not terribly discouraged by the news, saying tests showed yesterday that everything is fine structurally with the knee. "It's precautionary," DiPietro said after returning to the team's practice facility after practice, where he worked out. "After seven or eight days off, to kick it"
Islanders' DiPietro cheers on Team USA
February 25
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro took off his skates after the Islanders practiced yesterday and watched Ryan Miller put in yet another stellar Olympic performance. With Team USA's 2-0 victory over Switzerland, the Americans are just one win away from Sunday's gold-medal game. It's a far cry from how DiPietro and his teammates did four years ago in Italy, when they went 1-4-1 under Peter Laviolette. "Obviously, I'd rather be watching from Vancouver, but I hope they win . . . and continue to play well," said DiPietro, who spoke during the match's first period. "It's tough. This is something I was looking forward to from the time I got off the plane from Torino, so you watch and wish you were there playing in"
Rick DiPietro hopes to be back in net for Team USA in next Olympics
February 25
New York Daily News
 
"Rick DiPietro acknowledges that Ryan Miller has been "phenomenal" in helping the U.S. hockey team advance to the Olympic semifinals in Vancouver. But the oft-injured Islanders goalie still holds out hope of again competing for his old No. 1 job in the American net in the future. As Miller was in the process of shutting out Switzerland on the television set along the back wall of the dressing room Wednesday, DiPietro was peeling off his equipment after the Isles reconvened for practice at the Coliseum to prepare for the remainder of the regular season. "It's tough. It's something I was looking forward to from the time I got off the plane from Torino," DiPietro said of sitting out the"
DiPietro learning to share
January 23
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro was an All-Star in 2008 and remains the Islanders' franchise goaltender, but he also recognizes the fact that it will take time before he is treated like that again. That might makelife a bit easier for coach Scott Gordon, as he goes through the process of figuring out how to keep two goalies who are accustomed to being No. 1 netminders sharp and content. The notion of DiPietro competing for ice time is somewhat new to the former Olympian and top overall draft pick, but now is a reality as he comes back from knee surgery that kept him out for a year. "There's different circumstances now," DiPietro said after practice yesterday at the Coliseum, where the surging Isles will"
DiPietro loses the rust and shuts out Devils
January 19
New York Post
 
"The Jets aren't the only team around here pulling off improbable wins. Less than a week after dismantling the Red Wings, the Islanders made easy work of Martin Brodeur and the Devils, beating the Atlantic Division leaders 4-0 yesterday at Nassau Coliseum. It was their fourth straight win and fifth in a row at home. And goalie Rick DiPietro continued his own renaissance, notching his first shutout in nearly two years. "It feels great," said DiPietro, whose previous shutout was on Feb. 21, 2008, against Tampa Bay. DiPietro, in the third game of his comeback after being sidelined for nearly a year following knee surgeries, played consecutive games for the first time since his return, after"
Injury-ridden DiPietro finally starts at home
January 17
Buffalo News
 
"An old face was back on the ice Saturday in the Nassau Coliseum as New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro started against the Buffalo Sabres in his first game at home since Dec. 26, 2008. DiPietro, who signed a 15-year, $70-million contract in 2006 that was openly reviled throughout the NHL, has gone through hip and knee injuries and had a pair of surgeries on the knee in the last two years. He played just five games last year and only one this year, a 4-3 loss Jan. 8 at Dallas. "Health is a main goal here but I don't want that to overshadow the fact I have to play well and have results," DiPietro said. "When you're back in the NHL, all that matters is wins. That's what's really"
DiPietro prevails in Coliseum return
January 17
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro had not won a game at Nassau Coliseum -- or anywhere else -- since Dec. 26, 2008, so it probably shouldn't have been a surprise that it took three periods, overtime and eight rounds of a shootout for him to get one last night. DiPietro stopped Patrick Kaleta to secure a 3-2 win in the second game of his comeback from the knee surgeries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. "I can't tell you how good this feels," DiPietro said after the Isles won the shootout 4-3, the decisive goal coming from Trent Hunter. "It's satisfying, but there's still a lot of work to be done. You can't get complacent." "It's a huge weight off his shoulders," Isles coach Scott Gordon"
Rick DiPietro makes 32 saves in, 3-2, shootout win over Buffalo Sabres
January 17
New York Daily News
 
"After missing over a year of NHL action because of knee and hip problems, Rick DiPietro has been anxious about getting his career back on track - so much so that he fought back tears on the ice Saturday night. In his return to Nassau Coliseum - and his second start of the season - the Islanders' franchise goalie turned away 31 shots through overtime, then stopped five of eight attempts in the shootout in a 3-2 win over the Northeast Division-leading Sabres. "I was trying not to cry on the ice," DiPietro said. "That's the one thing I told myself. I wouldn't cry. It's an emotional time for me. It's been a long time coming and it's been a rough road. Just to get the win was amazing." DiPietro"
DiPietro up for Nassau return
January 16
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro has played just one game since rejoining the Islanders on their West Coast trip last week, and he has a chance to make his first appearance at the Nassau Coliseum tonight against Buffalo (7:00, MSG Plus, WMJC 94.3 FM). Because coach Scott Gordon's policy always has been not to reveal who his starting goalie will be before the day of the game, it will not be known until today's morning skate. But the Islanders' schedule is set to pick up again, with five games in the next eight days, so DiPietro soon figures to get plenty of work. After losing his first game last Friday against Dallas, DiPietro has backed up Dwayne Roloson the past two matches -- including Tuesday night's 6-0"
Shares of DiPietro, Roloson on rise
January 12
New York Post
 
"To the surprise of no one, Islanders coach Scott Gordon said yesterday that Dwayne Roloson and Rick DiPietro would split time in net "for the short term, anyway." That leaves goalie Martin Biron on the outside looking in and likely as trade bait. General manager Garth Snow said he is not concerned that Biron's potential lack of playing time might have an adverse impact on his trade value. "There's no rush from my standpoint," Snow said yesterday. "Marty's body of work speaks for itself. People know what he's capable of." Snow said that he was pleased with what he saw from DiPietro, who played his first game over a year in Friday night's 4-3 loss to Dallas. "I thought it was a big step in"
Stars outscore Islanders 4-3 to spoil DiPietro's return
January 9
NHL.com
 
"The Dallas Stars and New York Islanders coach Scott Gordon both were happy with goaltender Rick DiPietro's return to the NHL on Friday night -- for vastly different reasons. Gordon was pleased with the performance of DiPietro, who hadn't played an NHL game since Jan. 2, 2009, due to knee injuries that required surgery and a lengthy rehab process. The Stars were happy after their three-goal second period and some goaltending heroics in the final minutes by a previously shaky Marty Turco enabled them to go home with a 4-3 victory. "I thought it was a great first game for him," Gordon said after DiPietro stopped 24 of 28 shots. "Considering where he's come from, he made some big saves when we"
DiPietro's return could be tonight
January 8
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro could make his long-awaited return to the Islanders' lineup as soon as tonight. Although the Islanders have yet to announce any definite plans for when the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft is supposed to make his season debut, it is expected to happen either tonight in Dallas (8:30; MSG+, WMJC) or tomorrow in Phoenix."
Islanders call up DiPietro
January 5
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro's return to the Islanders finally may not be far away. The goalie was recalled by the team yesterday and will make the upcoming road trip, which starts tomorrow in Colorado. The team has yet to determine when -- or if -- DiPietro will play on the three-game trip. He skated during practice yesterday and continues to feel good."
Islanders' DiPietro works out, hopes to play rehab game this weekend
December 29
New York Post
 
"The ongoing rehab of Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro continued today, as he worked out at the team's practice facility in Syosset in hopes of playing a game for Bridgeport in the AHL this weekend. "Right now, we'd like to see him play a full game," GM Garth Snow said. DiPietro hasn't suited up since he was pulled after two periods on Dec. 11 in his second rehab start with the Sound Tigers after experiencing tightness in his leg that the team said was unrelated to his knee injury. back."
Stopgap in the Isles' Goal Does More Than Fill It
December 25
New York Times
 
"Three goaltenders shared the ice for the Islanders' practice Tuesday, and the one wearing the white pads scuffed with puck rubber has a 15-year contract. That would be Rick DiPietro, who may be close to coming back from yet another injury, this one to his right knee. DiPietro, 28, who has missed all but five games in the last two seasons, has resumed practicing, but he said he was not certain when he could return to action after encountering leg stiffness during a recent conditioning start with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League. So the Islanders have moved into a critical stretch with Dwayne Roloson, who does not have a 15-year deal, in goal."
Aching Islanders wait on Weight, DiPietro
December 24
New York Post
 
"The Islanders are a team increasingly reliant on young players, but eyes were on a pair of veterans yesterday, as center Doug Weight and goalie Rick DiPietro both practiced. Weight is trying to salvage the second half of a disappointing season, and DiPietro would simply like to play on Long Island sooner rather than later, especially as the Isles slide down the Eastern Conference standings. "That's certainly why I was out here," Weight said after practice, referring to the team's three straight losses and four in a row at home. Weight did not score a goal in the 11 games he played before being sidelined with a shoulder injury on Nov. 6. "I'm sick of wasting time," Weight said. "We're not"
Aching Islanders wait on Weight, DiPietro
December 23
New York Post
 
"The Islanders are a team increasingly reliant on young players, but eyes were on a pair of veterans yesterday, as center Doug Weight and goalie Rick DiPietro both practiced. Weight is trying to salvage the second half of a disappointing season, and DiPietro would simply like to play on Long Island sooner rather than later, especially as the Isles slide down the Eastern Conference standings. "That's certainly why I was out here," Weight said after practice, referring to the team's three straight losses and four in a row at home. Weight did not score a goal in the 11 games he played before being sidelined with a shoulder injury on Nov. 6. "I'm sick of wasting time," Weight said. "We're not"
Oft-injured Islanders' DiPietro to resume practice
December 22
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro got back on the ice yesterday for the first time since leaving a rehab start 10 days earlier because of leg tightness. And while he said he felt "great" after working out for 45 minutes before the Islanders' morning skate, he admitted that the discomfort that caused the concern was something that had bothered him for "a while." "It was an issue that needed to be addressed," said DiPietro, who last played on Dec. 11. "I saw some specialists and kind of figured some things out and I think solved the problem." The Isles still have plenty of other problems, now that they have dropped three straight -- and four in a row at the Coliseum -- after last night's 4-2 loss to the"
Injury-prone DiPietro set to practice again
December 20
New York Post
 
"It still is unknown when Rick DiPietro will play his next game for the Islanders, but the goalie will at least get back on the ice with the team this week. DiPietro, whose latest attempt at a comeback from left knee surgery stalled last Friday when he was removed from a game with leg stiffness while playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, is set to return to practice with the Isles. "Rick has followed the protocol for his rehabilitation diligently," general manager Garth Snow said in a statement yesterday. "He experienced tightness and discomfort in his leg during the Bridgeport game [in Springfield], and we felt it was in his best interest to sit out the rest of the game."
Injury-prone DiPietro set to practice again
December 19
New York Post
 
"It still is unknown when Rick DiPietro will play his next game for the Islanders, but the goalie will at least get back on the ice with the team this week. DiPietro, whose latest attempt at a comeback from left knee surgery stalled last Friday when he was removed from a game with leg stiffness while playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate, is set to return to practice with the Isles. "Rick has followed the protocol for his rehabilitation diligently," general manager Garth Snow said in a statement yesterday. "He experienced tightness and discomfort in his leg during the Bridgeport game [in Springfield], and we felt it was in his best interest to sit out the rest of the game. "He will"
DiPietro will miss Tuesday's rehab start
December 15
Newsday
 
"Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro will miss tonight's start in Bridgeport - which was supposed to be the third and final game of his rehab assignment - because of a potential setback he experienced in Friday's game."
DiPietro allows 3 goals in rehab assignment, no pain
December 7
New York Post
 
"Allowing three goals in his first nine shots wasn't pretty, but Rick DiPietro did appear to make it through his first game in nearly a year without getting hurt. "It was good to get back out there and shake the rust off," said DiPietro, who had not appeared in a game since Jan. 2 before playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate last night. "I hadn't been out there in a long time. There's still a lot of work to be done." More importantly, he reported no problems with his surgically-repaired knee and added that how he felt today would be "big." DiPietro wound up playing two full periods, as expected. The 28-year-old faced 13 shots in a 7-3 win over Springfield in front of Islanders owner"
Big step for DiPietro tonight
December 5
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro has made it through months of practice and drills without getting hurt. Tonight, he and the Islanders will see how his body holds up during a game. It's been nearly a year since the team's injury-prone franchise goalie has suited up. Last January, swelling in his surgically repaired knee forced him from the lineup again. "This is really big for him," said GM Garth Snow, who will be in Bridgeport tonight to see the Isles' AHL affiliate Sound Tigers host Springfield with DiPietro in net for the first time since Jan. 2. "It's certainly been a long road to recovery for him." That's an understatement. And it's why, even with the team coming off one of its best victories of this"
Islanders' DiPietro to play in minor-league game Saturday
December 3
New York Post
 
"Rick DiPietro has had some disappointing comeback attempts, so it's no surprise he wants to downplay his likely return to game action on Saturday, when he is scheduled to play for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. "It's a game," DiPietro said yesterday. "It's a big step and we'll see how it goes, but a game is a game." The fragile DiPietro hasn't played in a game since Jan. 2, and he appeared in just five last season because of knee injuries. He is expected to play only a period or two on Saturday against Springfield. "I probably haven't gone this long [between games], but I've been on the ice for the past two months," DiPietro said. "I hope I'm not rusty, but we'll see.""
Islanders' rehabbing goalie answers critics
November 14
New York Post
 
"With the Islanders in Carolina, preparing to play yet another game without their franchise goalie tonight, Rick DiPietro was working out at Iceworks in Syosset yesterday, still likely at least a month away from his return to an NHL game. The 28-year-old is acutely aware that he has become known more for his propensity for getting injured than the fact that he's a former All-Star. "I have to keep telling myself that I have a lot of years left and not to push too much and put myself in jeopardy," said DiPietro, who is in the fourth year of his 15-year deal and is still recovering from knee surgery after being limited to five games last season. "The one thing that frustrates me is when people"
Islanders' rehabbing Rick answers critics
November 13
New York Post
 
"With the Islanders in Carolina, preparing to play yet another game without their franchise goalie tonight, Rick DiPietro was working out at Iceworks in Syosset yesterday, still likely at least a month away from his return to an NHL game. The 28-year-old is acutely aware that he has become known more for his propensity for getting injured than the fact that he's a former All-Star. "I have to keep telling myself that I have a lot of years left and not to push too much and put myself in jeopardy," said DiPietro, who is in the fourth year of his 15-year deal and is still recovering from knee surgery after being limited to five games last season. "The one thing that frustrates me is when people"
Islanders' Rick DiPietro tempers his optimism
September 16
Boston Herald
 
"Rick DiPietro, who made a substantial leap in his rehab when he began facing shots earlier this week, has been encouraged by his progress during Islanders training camp. However, given the false starts DiPietro experienced last season, when he played only five games before spending the rest of the season on injured reserve, DiPietro wants to temper his optimism with caution. "I felt good," DiPietro said after a 30-minute workout on Tuesday with Islanders goaltending consultant Sudarshan Maharaj. "It felt like I was seeing the puck well out there. I don't want to get too excited, though. It's all about how I feel. It's important when you put stress on that injury to see how it responds.""