Islanders' Roloson still has it at age 40
Photo credit: Getty Images | Dwayne Roloson #30 of the New York Islanders skates against the Carolina Hurricanes. (October 21, 2009)
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Nov. 28: Devils 6, Islanders 1
Minutes after setting a franchise record for the most saves in a regular-season game - 58 against Toronto Monday night - Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson modestly deflected the credit his teammates heaped upon him.
"It was just another game, really," Roloson said.
But his brilliant play in that 4-3 overtime win over the Maple Leafs was not simply "another game," and judging from the first 27 games, it hardly seems that this season will be "just another season" for the Islanders' 40-year-old netminder.
Roloson, the oldest active goaltender in the NHL, has emerged in the first quarter of the season to compile an 8-2-5 record, a .916 save percentage and a 2.80 goals-against average.
Given the tenuous goaltending situation last season - when backups Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis were thrust into starting roles after Rick DiPietro's season-ending knee injury - Roloson has played an integral role in the Islanders' significant improvement this season.
"Goaltending," general manager Garth Snow said, "is now the backbone of this team."
It was Snow's intent to strengthen his team's goaltending through the free-agent market when he targeted Roloson on July 1 and Martin Biron three weeks later.
Roloson, at an advanced age for an NHL goalie, was looking for the security of a multiyear deal, even though he knew it would prompt some teams to pass on his services.
"I'm sure a lot of teams didn't want to give a two-year deal to a guy who could be at the end of his career," Roloson said.
But he wanted some permanence for his young sons, ages 6 and 8. It was becoming more difficult to pull them out of school and move to different locales.
The Islanders became the right fit. Snow provided some security when he signed Roloson to a two-year deal worth $5 million.
"He's played at a high level for several years now,'' Snow said. "Was it a risk? Absolutely. But it could've been the same thing with a 25-year-old. For me, it was a risk worth taking."
Roloson has made Snow's gamble worthwhile, stabilizing the Islanders' defensive zone and providing necessary leadership.
Not bad for a guy who considered retirement almost 10 years ago.
While his reputation is linked with the success he had sharing starts with Manny Fernandez in Minnesota and as the No. 1 guy in Edmonton for the three seasons before this one, Roloson's career path has been a little unorthodox.
Before playing for the Wild and the Oilers, Roloson spent two years backing up Dominik Hasek in Buffalo, where he played only 32 games in three seasons. Then, at age 31, he served a stint in the minors, playing 52 games with the AHL's Worcester IceCats in 2000-01.
"It really was [hard]," Roloson said. "I contemplated what to do, whether to retire, but I had just gotten married and we had a baby on the way, so we said, 'Let's give it one more year and see what happens.' "
The following season, Roloson resuscitated his career in Minnesota. He led the Wild to its first playoff appearance in 2002-03. He earned his only All-Star selection in 2003-04. During the lockout season of 2004-05, he played in Finland.
"He's had a long road, so I think he's more appreciative of it," coach Scott Gordon said.
Roloson looks at an NHL career as a privilege, as something that demands hard work.
"Sometimes when you play in this league for a while, you can get complacent," he said. "You realize it can be a short career unless you work on the little things every day."
Roloson is known for his attention to detail, working tirelessly on those "little things" and always incorporating new wrinkles into his repertoire.
After 510 games and 12 seasons in the league, he still enjoys working to improve every single day.
"When it becomes a job, then the writing is on the wall. Your career is pretty much over," Roloson said. "I still come to work every day loving what I do."
So exactly how much does this veteran have left in the tank?
Roloson chuckled knowingly.
"I've got a lot."
