The New York Islanders will announce today that they have signed goalie Rick DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5 million contract.
Islanders' owner Charles Wang, who was directly involved in the negotiations, had indicated that if DiPietro didn't sign by Friday, when the team opens training camp in Nova Scotia, that DiPietro would not play in the 2006-07 season.
DiPietro, who turns 25 next week, is a restricted free agent who could become unrestricted in two more seasons.
Last season, DiPietro went 30-24-5 with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
The deal is believed to be the longest in NHL history and second only in major North American pro sports to the $25-million, 25-year deal Magic Johnson signed with the NBA Lakers in 1981.
DiPietro is scheduled to receive $4.5 million in each season of the contract. With the value of the deal spread over the length of the contract, DiPietro's salary would rank eighth among NHL goaltenders for the coming season.
Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin is currently the league's highest-paid goaltender at $6.75 million a year.
New York Newsday reports DiPietro is guaranteed the full $67.5 million if he suffers a career-ending injury, but it's not yet clear what would happen if he were to retire before the deal expires.
Meanwhile, the New York Post reports that the Islanders have also signed center Viktor Kozlov to a one-year deal.
09-12-2006, 12:49 PM
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