Dan Rosen and a few words on Rick DiPietro

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/10/2008 10:41:00 AM | | |
NHL.com: Dan Rosen in his NHL blog responds to the strong support from fans who felt Rick DiPietro should have been included in his top five Eastern conference goaltenders from his September 5th preview here.

John Kreiser of NHL.com also had a few words about DiPietro being one of the best shootout goaltenders in a feature on 9/9 here as he wrote about the shootout rivalry with the other local goaltenders.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
No, for those wondering I did not contact Dan Rosen.

Very good stuff here from Mr Rosen who responds to the readers and gives a statistical argument why DiPietro was left out over Thomas Vokoun in Florida but he kind of lost me when he want back to last season to make a point because in that case DiPietro's save percentage should have worked in his favor from last season.

I disagree with Mr Rosen's reasoning because Fleury was out for months and Ty Conklin did a strong job (arguably better for a while) in his spot while Henrik Lundqvist on a club that allowed the least shots per game in the East went through a stretch from mid-December to mid-February going 10-10-4, with a .889 save percentage on a team that plays a trap.

If DiPietro put up those numbers on a club that allowed two goals or less fourteen games in a row the season is over before the new year begins.

Tim Thomas for me also belonged in the top five also before Fleury or Lundqvist based on how he carried the Bruins.

Regarding DiPietro it was refreshing not to read anything from the professional media that did not pretend to know him personally with blind speculation about his makeup or what kind of team player he is or what motivates him.

I'm getting so used to that kind or reporting I cannot remember the last hockey article written about him.

For a young player who Martin Brodeur felt is one of the best goaltenders in the league he is constantly put down in the local media by those who seem to have their own issues with him that go beyond what happens during a hockey game.

I have no idea what kind of person Rick DiPietro is off the ice or in the lockeroom and frankly unless were in that lockeroom daily we have no idea either.

DiPietro's paid to stop the puck and few goaltenders did it better in the first half of last season on a club with virtually no margin for error while fans like me blog about what I see during the game.

He did it so well he was named to the all-star team and after that carried the club to a six game winning streak.

It's like me blogging on Bill Guerin's leadership, I saw him play not what he did during the game or at practice in a lockeroom. Unless I'm in that room with him I have no clue how he leads and would never insult anyone here by writing that I did.

Lundqvist had his moment too where supposedly he went beyond anything I have read about DiPietro with the Post claiming he compained about players on the ice at the end of a game which he denied here according to Larry Brooks.

Can you imagine if a story like that came out about DiPietro?

Difference is with DiPietro Newsday (and whatever local media occasionally covers home games) would never let up on that angle and use it every chance they can to create negative perception about him.

Brodeur wants to play his games and the media jumped all over it when new coach Brent Sutter wanted to sit him early in the season. Lundqvist was on Msg a day ago saying he wants to play seventy five games and I did not read Steve Zipay complaining he was hurting the club or turned it into the inquisition DiPietro received.

As for Lundqvist and Brodeur (or any goalie who wants to play eighty two games)
that's leadership and what franchise goaltenders should always aspire to do whether it works out that way or not.

That's all DiPietro has done.








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