This time, it's for a sports hernia, which first Newsday reported and then apparently the Islanders confirmed. DiPietro will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair it, which reveals to fans exactly what was that "second injury" that DP sustained while already on IR.
This is frustrating on all counts, mostly for DiPietro, of course, but also for the team and organization, and for the fans. DiPietro still has the majority of his 15-year contract to fulfill, and it doesn't seem likely that that will be the case. Since being shut down in 2008 to have hip surgery, he's played 47 games and been in and out of the Islanders lineup, while a parade of goalies has come in to relieve him, the latest of course being Evgeni Nabokov and Al Montoya, along with recently called-up Kevin Poulin.
And despite some whispers of him thinking about retirement, Ricky has told Newsday that he isn't looking that way at all, which has some thinking, "Well, why the heck not?" It just doesn't make much sense for him to put the strain on his body and his mind, and I bet it can't be easy on the team- or his wife, for that matter.
According to nhl.com, GM Garth Snow says the earliest DP can look to come back is the start of April, which basically means the entire season will be shot for him once more. (The NHL regular season ends April 9.) Another frustrating part in the never-ending saga that is Rick DiPietro's return from injury.
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