New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro, who is infamous for receiving a 15-year, $67.5 million contract, was waived by the team last week and has reported to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Wednesday. He gave an interview to Kevin Maher of News 12 Long Island that produced extremely candid quotes, some of which expressed deep darkness and thoughts of suicide.
DiPietro, who signed the record-breaking contract in 2006, began to break down during the 2008-2009 season and only played in 47 games from then until last year, becoming a league-wide punch line and frequent target of fan derision. In three games this year, DiPietro allowed 12 goals and was eventually let go. When he received word that he was being waived, DiPietro told Maher it felt like "they ripped my heart out, stabbed it, set it on fire and flushed it down the toilet."
Maher tweeted that the venom spewed from the fans over his ineptitude on the ice, and his general inability to even suit up, made him think about killing himself. DiPietro later clarified to the New York Post that he was joking when he said he considered suicide.
DiPietro has been with the Islanders his entire career, which began in 2000, and at one point was considered an excellent goaltender. The Islanders made the playoffs three times with DiPietro, and twice with him as the primary goalie (2002-2003, 2006-2007). The final two playoff berths were short-lived, however, with the Islanders getting the boot in the first round of each postseason. DiPietro's high point with the Islanders came in March of 2007, when he broke the franchise record for most saves in a game with 56 against the hated New York Rangers. In 2009, Dwayne Roloson broke DiPietro's record with 58 saves.
DiPietro has eight years and $36 million left on his deal.
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