Deadspin
We don't mean to imply that there's a possibly new New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow — shown here on a "scouting trip" — might not necessarily be ready for life in a board room, considering just last year he was the team's backup goalie.
But he might have pulled the biggest doozy today: He has signed Rick DiPietro — the guy he himself was backing up just last year — to a 15-year contract. That's right: 15 years. It's $4.5 million a year ... for 15 years.
It's the longest contract in NHL history, and the second-longest in American professional sports history, behind Magic Johnson's 25-year, $25 million with the Lakers in 1981, which, now that we look at it, doesn't seem all that great a deal at all. DiPietro is guaranteed the whole $65 million even if he gets hurt; at the end of the contract, he will be 40. Or three years older than Garth Snow, right now.
DiPietro An Isle For Life [SportsNet]
Who Knew Strange Things Happened In Long Island? [Deadspin]
(By the way, with the Islanders, this very well could have been negotiated by insane owner Charles Wang himself, which wouldn't be that surprising.)
(UPDATE: It looks like the NHL is considering not approving the deal.)
Comments
I like it when hockey gets all uppity and acts like it has money.
Did anyone else just go Danyelle Sargent over that contract length?
Party on, Rick.
Party on, Garth.
"Please let Isiah know it's Garth. Tell him I want to schedule a lunch with him and talk shop"
thanks for that pic Will... i know they aren't lookers, but if you were looking at what I am looking at on this gloomy Tuesday, you would be pumped about that picture as well
Wow, a contract older than the age of the girls in the picture. Nice one.
So when DiPietro's agent was reaming Snow in the ass, was Snow in the butterfly position?
In all fairness, he looks like a decent scout in some aspects.
15 year contracts are the way of the future... Call him visionary in that regard.
Wouldn't you just fake an injury, snap an ankle, go Tanya on yer own knee? 65 Mil guarenteed is worth a little pain, suck it up you fur-burger!
Wow....that's insanity. Do Hockey players normally even last 15 years?
the Islanders are a minor league team, right?
Will: Magic's contract was signed in 1981, not 1991.
Nicely played, Qyntell.
Well, it's a good thing NHL's finances are in order. Otherwise, they might have to worry about labor disputes and work stoppages.
Aside from the obvious fact that this deal is wacky and outlandish, its actually not that bad. $4.5 million a year is a bit high in the "new" NHL for an upper 1/3 goalie, but in 10 years it might be a bargain. Then again, in ten years Rick might have suffered some gruesome groin injury and be out of hockey.
Does the length of the contract include the inevitable 2-3 seasons that will be cancelled every few years, or is it really like an 18 year contract?
how on Earth am I a Detroit Lions fan AND a New York Islanders fan? What confluence of the cosmos has put this awful mark upon me? Did I rape kittens in a former life or something?
That's almost as ridiculous as Will's ten-year, $250,000 contract with Gawker.
It's a good thing hockey's not a physical sport, where players often get hurt and wear down long before the natural aging process ought to sap their playing skills.
What?
Oh.
Didn't Bruce Sutter get some insane 40-year contract from Ted Turner?
In the Isles defense he DOES have a 58-62-8 career record. If that doesn't warrant a 15-year deal, nothing does.
Oh, and there is a 5-hole joke somewhere here about that picture.
Ha Spinach nice....How long has Rick been in the league already?
If this were the NFL, he'd be cut in 8 months.
I'm surprised Ed Wade didn't think of this when he signed Pat Burrell.
Kittens don't need to be raped...with all that purring, they're just asking for it...
shit, that was out loud again, wasn't it?
the contract was signed in 91, not 81. Send FHM their check for 20 dollars, you moron.
"So I was out golfing with my backup goalie, and I kicked his ass through three presses. When we went to the clubhouse to settle up, he stiffed me. I was like, "Yo, backup?!?"
He said, "Oh, there will be no money... but when I am the G.M. of the team, I will grant you a 15 year contract. So I got that going for me, which is nice."
The next time I think of taking six years to pay off a new car, I'll be thinking of this.
I meant 84, not 91 or 81. I'll send my money too.
I believe the thinking here is that in 15 years time, DiPietro will be the backup, and quite obviously ready to take over for Snow was the General Manager.
At which time, Snow will return to his role as backup to DiPietro as Assistant GM.
In a related note, Magic smartly opted out of his contract with the Hiv.
This will be the biggest news the NHL makes all year.
I think this acid just kicked in.
That or that picture is apparently but the start of a really good roll that likely is in DiPietro's agent's hands.
In Snow's defense, $4.5 million is going to seem like a steal when the NHL signs their multitrillion dollar television deal with the Home & Garden Network within a few years.
Wow, now he gets to spend his swinging 20s in the social hotbed that is Long Island.
It must be a good deal, because a really smart guy like Charles Wang was "personally involved in the negotiations." And it worked out so well with Alexei Yashin's ten-year deal...
Someone tell Master P about this deal.
"I like girls with nipples hard as little rocks and a little snatch by the poolside."
I guess I was wrong. Garth Snow IS the same guy that sang "Informer"
I like that he's hugging all three, even though the one on the left is like Schemp.
Wonder how the "lifetime contracts" of Willie Wilson, George Brett and Dan Quisenberry turned out? They got their salary for X number of years, then stake in some real estate holdings that provided a supplemental income they could get as annual pay for the rest of their lives or in a lump sum.
Clearly, Isiah made a wrong turn to work this morning and ended up in Long Island.
That's almost as ridiculous as Will's ten-year, $250,000 contract with Gawker.
Wow... Will pulls in 25K a year?
That's nothing...Jesus and Moses signed for waaaaay longer.
I've never seen him, but if DiPietro is really fat, like, the exact size of a hockey goal, then that's a really good deal.
Wow... Will pulls in 25K a year?
Living in NYC isn't that expensive if you know where to shop and live in Cosmo Kramer's dresser.
In the Islander's defense, goalies get hurt far less often than their teammates. Also, this guy is a stud; the first goalie taken first in any draft. And what wins Stanley Cups? Hot goalkeeping in the playoffs.
If anyone made an error, it was DiPietro's agent. If this kid becomes the next Roy, that $4.5M in his prime is going to look awfully low.
Still cheaper than A-Rod. Hopefully plays better defense too.
There is no fucking way that Rick DiPietro is the next Patrick Roy. A 15-year contract in hockey is insanity, plain and simple.
He should Smoot the hell out of all those bitches!
15 years for a hockey player? Only Danny Ferry is worthy of a contract like that.
// The Cleveland Cavaliers
Those two girls can go 5 hole on me anytime!
Eh, I tried.
I think we should ask all the Islander fans what they think about this deal..
...
...
oh, that's right, the Islanders haven't had any fans in 10 years
Barely There American Apparel ad > Garth Snow hoochies
The deal includes an 11th-year option to become the next GM so he can annul his own shitty contract.
I'm terrified that this means Dave Littlefield will think that 15 year contracts are now OK. I will now leave in fear of the offseason headline "Pirates sign Randall Simon to 15-year contract."
People forget that when DiPietro was drafted, they had Roberto Luongo in their system. Drafted second overall was Dany Heatley. The Isles, who have a considerable lack of star power as it is, could have had two franchise guys playing right now.
Instead, they have a mid-upper tier goalie for the next 15 years.
Rob Babcock wouldn't have made that trade.