Rick DiPietro’s second chance went about as well as his last stint with the Islanders.
The oft-injured goaltender lasted just a month with the Carolina Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, after he was released at his own request, according to the team’s website.
“He called Jim Rutherford last night and thanked him for the opportunity,” Checkers coach Jeff Daniels said. “He just didn’t think it was going to go anywhere.
“I talked to him last week and said right now we have three goalies here and we’re waiting for one of them to step up and be the guy. The opportunity was there for him to do that, but he didn’t feel that it was going to go his way.”
The former No. 1 overall pick of the Islanders in the 200o NHL Entry Draft and former All-Star was bought out of his mammoth 15-year contract over the summer. With the Checkers, he posted an 0-4-0 record with a dreadful .846 save percentage and eye-popping 5.18 goals-against average.
DiPietro made 26 saves in a 4-3 loss to Rockford on Sunday, his first start since allowing five goals on 15 shots in a loss to Hershey two weeks earlier, but one goal in particular upset him. He allowed a goal from the wall to beat him cleanly.
“It was a garbage first goal that kind of contributed to us losing,” he said following the game, according to the Checkers’ website. “I just got crossed up, and there’s no excuse for that.”
When asked where he felt his comeback attempt was, he said, “I don’t know. I haven’t even thought about that, to be honest.”
The 32-year-old DiPietro has dealt with myriad injuries over the years, resulting in knee and hip surgeries.
After playing in 63 games during the 2007-08 campaign, he managed just 50 appearances from 2008-09 through 2012-13.
Even if he doesn’t play another minute of professional hockey, DiPietro is set financially. The Islanders are paying him $1.5 million a year for the next 16 years under the terms of his buyout.