Isles see mid-December return for DiPietro
Photo credit: Joe Rogate | New York Islander Goalie Rick DiPietro during practice at the teams practice facility "Ice Works" in Syosset. (November 24, 2009)
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Rick DiPietro
The Islanders have mounting injuries, but there is more good news for the player who has been out the longest. A mid-December timetable is now seen for goalkeeper Rick DiPietro's return to the NHL.
General manager Garth Snow carefully watched DiPietro practice at IceWorks Monday. "We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves," Snow said. But the GM sounded optimistic, saying: "At some point, he'll do a conditioning stint Bridgeport and if everything goes well, I would think the middle of December," for a return to the Islanders.
With the Islanders beginning a four-game road trip Thursday in Atlanta, it was learned that DiPietro is expected to begin his conditioning stint with Bridgeport later this week. Barring setbacks, he'll play Saturday for Bridgeport but will not be on the ice for the entire game, similar to training camp protocol for goaltenders. He'll ease his way back before working up to a full game.
The Islanders steadfastly had resisted discussing DiPietro's return, but his rehabilitation for a surgical right knee, which limited him to five games last season, has been without a setback. DiPietro started full practices last week.
The player himself has not set a return date. "I've kind of really tried to put myself out of that whole thing," DiPietro said after practice. "I think how my knee responds and how I practice will prove to everyone involved when I'm ready to come back. I just continue to feel better, which is a positive sign. It's exciting to be back.
"I feel good. It's nice to have a purpose again. It's one thing to come to the rink for rehab and watch, you don't feel part of it. But when you are actually a part of it and you feel like you are getting close, I think that definitely adds a lot more enthusiasm and intensity."
DiPietro is probably the healthiest of all the injured Islanders. Two more players went down against the Devils on Saturday. Andy Sutton (groin) is out two to four weeks and Frans Nielsen (upper body) is day-to-day. Andrew MacDonald, who has been shuttling between Bridgeport and Long Island, is back with the Islanders. "We have some banged-up guys, I think we're used to it at this point," DiPietro said. "You saw last year. We just get decimated. It's freak stuff."
