Scott Gordon has been the Islanders’ head coach for one and a half years. He has had Rick DiPietro in net for just five games over that span.
But Gordon knows what a healthy DiPietro could mean to the Islanders.
“Ricky’s been very consistent,” Gordon said yesterday after DiPietro skated again before the team departs on a three-game road trip that begins tonight in Colorado (9:00; MSG Plus, WMJC 94.3 FM). “He was an all-star goaltender two years ago. If he were able to get his game back to that point, it would be huge for our organization.”
The 28-year-old is expected to play for the first time this season — for the first time since last Jan. 2 — during this trip, though Gordon was his usual tight-lipped self when it came to when that game might be. The Isles visit Dallas on Friday and Phoenix the following night.
Gordon said he hadn’t told DiPietro, who said yesterday that he was “excited” about playing again and that he felt “like a rookie” because he had not played in the NHL in so long. He completed two games with AHL Bridgeport over the weekend.
Having DiPietro back in the fold would give the Isles three experienced goalies, along with Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron.
“Two are gonna play,” Gordon said. “Obviously, [Roloson] is one of them. We’ll have to find a place for the other one.”
Since Roloson has been the team’s best player this year and DiPietro needs ice time, that likely means that Biron is on the odd man out. GM Garth Snow could trade Biron, but his recent struggles would make it difficult to get anything of significance in return.
Of course, DiPietro still has to prove that his knee problems are behind him.
“Where he’s at right now, I don’t think he’s gonna be at the [same] spot a month from now,” Gordon said. “To be able to play at an NHL pace and fight traffic and face traffic, his timing is gonna be a little bit off, but he’s been functional and that’s the important part.”
Now he just has to show that he can stay that way.