Rick DiPietro Makes Sports History With Second Longest Contract Ever Signed

But the name of New York Islander goalie Rick DiPietro will go down in sports history books regardless of what he does during this season or the next decade.

The idiosyncratic hockey franchise has signed the backstop to an unprecedented 15-year $67.5 million deal, the second longest in pro sports history. That works out to $4.5 million a year. That’s not huge money by N.H.L. standards but the length of the contract remains eye popping.

The all time signing deal still belongs to Magic Johnson, who inked a quarter century contract for a then impressive $25 million with the L.A. Lakers in 1981.

“We’ve been working at it all summer,” DiPietro’s agent Paul Krepelka confirms. “Rick’s made no secret for a long time that he wanted to be an Islander his whole career.”

Despite the long lockout and the salary cap, the league insists it doesn’t have a problem with the contract.

“Clubs are free to make their own decisions within the confines laid out in the collective bargaining agreement and other applicable league rules,” N.H.L. deputy commissioner Bill Daly explains.

But while he doesn’t explicitly say anything else, it’s clear he may be wondering the same thing as most fans: what are the Islanders thinking?

“Some decisions turn out well, others not so well,” Daly notes diplomatically. “Time will tell whether this will be a good decision or a bad one for the Islanders.”

The deal is a dream come true for DiPietro. The now lifetime Islander turns 25 next week and would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency in two seasons. He obviously won’t have to worry about his future now. He’ll be 40 by the time the contract ends.

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