Fluto Shinzawa just published a free-to-read feature on Michael DiPietro, and the Bruins backup once thought about walking away from the game.
The headline of Shinzawa's piece sets it up plainly. Four years ago, DiPietro considered retiring. His best friend thought otherwise.
According to Shinzawa, the quote that anchors the story is "It wasn't time."
Shinzawa's post does not go further than that headline, so the full story of that decision belongs to his feature. What we know is where DiPietro is now, and it's a long way from a retirement conversation.
He's 27, a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2017, and he's playing for the first-place team in the Atlantic Division. Boston sits at 11-4-1 and fourth in the NHL.
DiPietro has appeared in 4 games this season with the Bruins. That's half of his entire NHL résumé, which stands at 8 career games.
How a backup goalie became part of the Bruins' season
The biggest moment so far came on Michael DiPietro's first NHL shutout. He stopped all 28 shots as Boston beat the Predators 6-0 on October 22.
Think about what that night meant for a goalie who once weighed leaving the sport. Nobody scripts a path like that, and DiPietro's wasn't straight.
Jeremy Swayman remains the clear number one. He has played 12 games this season, and he got the net on Monday when the Bruins beat the Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout.
That leaves DiPietro in the role every good team needs filled: the goalie who stays ready and gets the ball when called. Marco Sturm has trusted him four times already.
The Bruins now turn to a road game, and the club says the puck drops at 7 p.m. ET tonight in Pittsburgh.
The team's own post confirmed the matchup and the broadcast plans.
The Penguins are 5-8-2 and have lost three straight, so Boston walks into a winnable game. Whether Sturm goes back to Swayman or gives DiPietro another look is a call the Bruins haven't revealed.
