Rick DiPietro Signed To Longest Sports Contract in History
The National Hockey League’s top goalie, New York Islanders Rick DiPietro, just signed a 15-year, $67.5 million contract that will keep him employed through 2021.
By Mark Hoerrner
You might call him the "Golden Glove" of New York’s storied Islanders hockey franchise and, frankly, the Islanders would agree. The 25-year-old prodigy is projected to be the next Michael Jordan of the goal net. The management of the New York team is willing to bet nearly $70 million and the next 15 years that Rick DiPietro is going to continue to deliver amazing saves on the ice.
"We've been working at it all summer," DiPietro's agent Paul Krepelka told The Associated Press.
The contract will pay him $4.5 million annually. Like many of the new generation of hockey contracts, DiPietro will be paid in full should he become injured and is forced to retire. If he retires for any other reason, he’ll lose the remaining years of salary.
"With a long-term deal, you're speculating what you'll be worth and what you'll be making," DiPietro said. "I don't think that player salaries are going to go up that much more. I mean, how much higher can they go? I take a lot of pride in what I do. In order to make this a good deal, I have to perform and we have to win."
Deals between five and twelve years were negotiated, said Krepelka. Charles Wang, the owner of the Islanders franchise and Garth Snow, the team’s newest member of management and last season’s backup goalie to DiPietro, were both involved in the negotiations. Since DiPietro was a restricted free agent, it was a key time for the team to step up and create a deal both parties found satisfactory.
"It’s the right timing today," Wang told the Associated Press.
More than satisfactory, it’s a matter of creating stability.
"Rick's made no secret for a long time that he wanted to be an Islander his whole career," Krepelka said.
DiPietro is ranked 25th in the league for his goals saved average and 11th in the league overall. He was the first goalie in the NHL’s history to be picked as the No. 1 draft pick and spent only one year in the collegiate leagues at Boston University.
DiPietro will be the eighth highest-paid goalie in the league, with Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin topping the list at $6.75 million per season.
You might call him the "Golden Glove" of New York’s storied Islanders hockey franchise and, frankly, the Islanders would agree. The 25-year-old prodigy is projected to be the next Michael Jordan of the goal net. The management of the New York team is willing to bet nearly $70 million and the next 15 years that Rick DiPietro is going to continue to deliver amazing saves on the ice.
"We've been working at it all summer," DiPietro's agent Paul Krepelka told The Associated Press.
The contract will pay him $4.5 million annually. Like many of the new generation of hockey contracts, DiPietro will be paid in full should he become injured and is forced to retire. If he retires for any other reason, he’ll lose the remaining years of salary.
"With a long-term deal, you're speculating what you'll be worth and what you'll be making," DiPietro said. "I don't think that player salaries are going to go up that much more. I mean, how much higher can they go? I take a lot of pride in what I do. In order to make this a good deal, I have to perform and we have to win."
Deals between five and twelve years were negotiated, said Krepelka. Charles Wang, the owner of the Islanders franchise and Garth Snow, the team’s newest member of management and last season’s backup goalie to DiPietro, were both involved in the negotiations. Since DiPietro was a restricted free agent, it was a key time for the team to step up and create a deal both parties found satisfactory.
"It’s the right timing today," Wang told the Associated Press.
More than satisfactory, it’s a matter of creating stability.
"Rick's made no secret for a long time that he wanted to be an Islander his whole career," Krepelka said.
DiPietro is ranked 25th in the league for his goals saved average and 11th in the league overall. He was the first goalie in the NHL’s history to be picked as the No. 1 draft pick and spent only one year in the collegiate leagues at Boston University.
DiPietro will be the eighth highest-paid goalie in the league, with Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin topping the list at $6.75 million per season.
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