Stars trade Bishop’s contract to Sabres

The Dallas Stars traded former goaltender Ben Bishop‘s contract and a 2022 seventh-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for future considerations, both teams announced Friday.

Bishop, 35, hasn’t suited up for a regular-season NHL contest since March 2020. He started three games for the Stars in the 2020 playoff bubble in August.

The veteran hung up his pads in December due to a knee injury. He underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in October 2020 and was sent to the AHL’s Texas Stars on a rehab assignment in 2021-22. He allowed eight goals on 34 shots in his only appearance.

Bishop has one year remaining on his deal and carries a $4.9-million cap hit. The trade helps the Sabres get closer to the salary-cap floor, while the Stars gain more roster flexibility by getting Bishop off their long-term injured reserve.

The three-time Vezina Trophy finalist authored a career .921 save percentage and 2.32 goals-against average in 413 appearances. Bishop was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round in 2005 and also played for the Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Los Angeles Kings.

Stars’ Bishop ends playing career due to knee injury

Ben Bishop is hanging up his pads after an 11-year NHL career due to a knee injury, Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said Saturday, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks.

The Stars netminder hasn’t played a regular-season NHL game since March 10, 2020. Bishop made three appearances for Dallas during the 2020 bubble playoffs in August.

The 35-year-old underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in October 2020 and has spent the last 14 months rehabbing the injury. The organization assigned Bishop to the AHL’s Texas Stars on a rehab assignment this past week, and he allowed eight goals on 34 shots in his lone appearance.

“It’s no secret, he has a degenerative knee injury, and he went down there, he wanted to be a big part of this,” Nill said. “He wanted to do everything he could to get back. In the end, by going through the process, going down there, and playing, he found out that it’s the end of his career.

“He’s the one that said, ‘No, that’s it,'” Nill added. “In the end, he’s the one that had to make that decision.”

Bishop was a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist (2014, 2016, 2019) and finishes his career with 222 wins, 33 shutouts, a 2.32 goals against average, and a .921 save percentage – the latter of which currently ranks fifth on the all-time list behind Dominik Hasek, Ken Dryden, Tuukka Rask, and Jack Campbell.

The 6-foot-7 Bishop proved to be a big-game goaltender as well, posting a 2.27 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in 52 career playoff games. The netminder also guided the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015.

Stars head coach Rick Bowness was a Lightning associate coach for five campaigns from 2013-2018.

“It hurts,” Bowness said. “I feel terrible for him because he’s such a great person, and as I’ve always said when he’s on, he’s a top-three goalie in the league. He took us to the Finals in Tampa. When you go that far, you have a special bond.

“I’ve always felt very close with Bish. I’m devastated for him and his family, I know he wants to play. It’s just a very, very unfortunate thing that’s happened.”

In addition to his time in Dallas and Tampa, Bishop also played for the Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, and St. Louis Blues.

Bishop is in the fifth season of a six-year, $29.5-million contract. He was recalled from his conditioning loan on Saturday and placed on long-term injured reserve, where he will remain through the duration of his deal.

While Bishop would’ve been a welcome addition had his comeback been successful, the Stars already have a crowded puck-stopper room. Offseason acquisition Braden Holtby and youngster Jake Oettinger have been sensational this campaign. Meanwhile, veteran Anton Khudobin has struggled and is reportedly on the trade block.

Stars’ Bishop waives no-move clause for expansion draft

Ben Bishop is doing his team a solid.

The Dallas Stars goaltender has agreed to waive his no-movement clause for the expansion draft, general manager Jim Nill told Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas Morning News.

The decision applies only to the expansion draft and not a trade, Nill confirmed.

The Stars are now able to protect fellow netminder Anton Khudobin. Youngster Jake Oettinger is exempt. He split time in the crease with Khudobin this past season.

Bishop missed the entire 2020-21 campaign after undergoing offseason surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, and he played only three playoff games during Dallas’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. His status for next season is unclear.

There are two years remaining on the 34-year-old’s contract, and he carries an annual cap hit of $4.92 million, according to CapFriendly.

Bishop has battled other injuries throughout his career, but he’s been an elite puck-stopper when healthy. He produced a .920 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average over 44 games during the 2019-20 season.

The towering 6-foot-7 netminder has been a Vezina Trophy finalist three times, including as recently as 2018-19.

Stars rule Bishop, Radulov out for rest of season

Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop and forward Alexander Radulov will miss the remainder of the season due to injury, the team announced.

Bishop will continue rehabbing his surgically repaired knee, while Radulov needs a procedure to repair a core muscle injury.

Bishop has been out the entire season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee in October. The netminder’s original recovery timeline was five months.

In his absence, Anton Khudobin and Jake Oettinger have manned the Stars’ crease. Dallas ranks fifth in the league in goals allowed per game (2.46).

Radulov, meanwhile, has been in and out of the lineup this campaign, last playing on March 18. He’s appeared in just 11 games, recording four goals and eight assists.

Both players are expected to be ready for the 2021-22 season.

Bishop, Lehner, Vasilevskiy nominated for Vezina Trophy

Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop, New York Islanders netminder Robin Lehner, and Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy are the finalists for this year’s Vezina Trophy, the league announced Saturday.

Vasilevskiy finished third in last year’s voting behind the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and the winner, Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators. Bishop is a two-time finalist (2014, 2016) but has yet to win. Lehner – who claimed the Jennings Trophy along with teammate Thomas Greiss for fewest goals against as a team this season – is a first-time Vezina Trophy nominee.

A win by Bishop or Lehner would mark the fewest games played by a Vezina winner in a non-shortened season since Tom Barrasso claimed the award as an 18-year-old in 1983-84.

Stars GM: Free agents intrigued by Bishop addition

It wasn’t just the Texas lifestyle that drew free agents to the Dallas Stars.

So too did Ben Bishop, the Stars’ new netminder who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings earlier this offseason and later signed a six-year extension with his new club.

“When we were talking to all of these free agents during the interview period, (Ben’s) name always came up,” Stars general manager Jim Nill told “NHL Tonight” on Wednesday. “He’s a quality guy. He’s got a great resume and I think that’s a big part in what enticed a lot of these players to want to join us.”

The veteran goaltender split last season between the Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning, where in recent seasons he established himself as one of the NHL’s top netminders. In 2015-16, he appeared in 61 games, producing 35 wins and a .926 save percentage to finish as a Vezina Trophy finalist.

The Stars hope Bishop can replicate that play in his new surroundings. It’s undoubtedly a big upgrade for Dallas, which struggled to keep pucks out of its own net last season, as the tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi owned an NHL-worst combined save percentage of .893.

Niemi has since moved on, with the Stars buying out the final year of his contract, leaving Lehtonen to hold down the second-string duties behind Bishop.

Dallas has talents like Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and John Klingberg, but it’s Bishop’s addition in the crease which Nill believes was the catalyst for Dallas’ offseason makeover.

“Ben was a big pickup for us,” Nill added. “He was probably the one that started this turnaround for us this signing season. We made the trade for him and he showed the commitment to want to be here.”

In addition to Bishop, the Stars also dipped into free agency to add shutdown center Martin Hanzal on a three-year deal, while former Montreal Canadiens winger Alexander Radulov was recruited on a five-year pact. The possibility exists he could complete one of the league’s most intriguing trios with Seguin and Benn.

After finishing with just 79 points last season, the potential exists for a big bounce-back in Dallas, with Bishop sure to play a major role in the upswing.

Stars place Niemi on waivers for buyout purposes

Antti Niemi‘s days as a member of the Dallas Stars are numbered.

The club placed the veteran netminder on waivers Monday for the purpose of a buyout, the team confirmed.

The news comes after general manager Jim Nill stated on Friday that he planned to get rid of a goaltender this week.

Niemi has one year left remaining on his contract, but with Ben Bishop now in the fold and set to be the club’s No. 1, the team needed to make room with Kari Lehtonen also signed through next season at $5.9 million.

The 33-year-old had a miserable season finishing last among all goaltenders with at least 25 games played with a 3.30 GAA and second last with an .892 save percentage.

Stars, Bishop agree to 6-year, $29.5M deal

The Dallas Stars have agreed to a six-year, $29.5-million contract with impending free-agent goaltender Ben Bishop, the team announced Friday.

The Stars acquired Bishop’s rights from the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.

Bishop, 30, spent 2016-17 split between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Kings, posting a 18-15-5 record with a .910 save percentage and 2.54 goals-against average.

This was widely considered a down season for Bishop, though. He led the league with a 2.06 goal-against average the year prior and has a career save percentage of .919.

The 6-foot-7 netminder will fill a massive hole in the Stars’ crease. The tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi combined for a league-worst .893 save percentage this season. Both are under contract for one more year, so at least one of them will likely be bought out or traded.

Bishop excited about rights moving to Stars, gearing up for contract talks

Ben Bishop appears quite happy about the idea of playing for the Dallas Stars.

The veteran goalie’s rights were acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, and while Bishop can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, he’s hopeful a contract can be agreed upon to keep him in Texas.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, because I know we have the negotiating process to go through, but I’m excited,” Bishop said, per Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. “I know the area down there, I graduated from Frisco High School (north of the city), and I know how passionate the fans are there. I was just really excited to hear (about the trade).”

Bishop knows new head coach Ken Hitchcock from his time with the St. Louis Blues, and also sees familiar potential in the Stars.

“I think we have a good relationship, and I know his teams in St. Louis were tough to play against,” Bishop said.

“Like I said, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but this looks a lot like the team we had in Tampa when I first got there. There is plenty of firepower to score goals, and the opportunity is there to work on the other areas and improve those areas.”

Bishop, 30, is coming off a two-year deal signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning that carried a salary cap hit of $5.95 million.

The two-time Vezina Trophy finalist likely won’t come cheap, but he could be just what the Stars need to get back to the ranks of Stanley Cup hopefuls.

Bishop was frustrated by sharing net in Tampa Bay

Of all the names to find themselves listed on new rosters after the trade deadline, Ben Bishop‘s was arguably the most intriguing.

The former Tampa Bay Lightning netminder’s change of address wasn’t the surprise – he was involved in trade talks dating back to last summer – but rather the fact that the Los Angeles Kings dealt for his services. And one day after longtime starter Jonathan Quick returned from injury, no less.

Now, as the Kings fight to claim a playoff spot, the potential of a timeshare in net looms, with Quick and Bishop both ranking among the top starters in the game.

That might not be a very welcome development for Bishop given his thoughts on splitting time in the past.

In an interview with ESPN’s Scott Burnside this week, Bishop said the Lightning’s setup in net this year wasn’t exactly ideal.

“I was a little frustrated at the beginning of the season,” Bishop said. “Coming off of probably my best season of my career and not getting to play as much as I wanted to in Tampa. I wanted to kind of keep it the same as the last three years, because it had been working.

“We started switching goalies back and forth in Tampa, and it wasn’t working. We were falling in the standings and it was making me a little bit upset. Why fix what’s not broken?”

Bishop posted an impressive .921 save percentage over his three-and-a-half seasons with the Lightning, alongside 17 shutouts. He finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last season, losing out to Washington Capitals starter Braden Holtby.

Following the deal that sent Bishop to California, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said the trade wasn’t simply a backup plan in case Quick was unable to find his form.

But he also stopped short of naming either man as the club’s No. 1 option.

“Best-case scenario, assuming Jon is at the top of his game, what’s the best number of games to play him?” Lombardi said to Jon Rosen at the time. “We had sketched that out, and said, ‘You know what? It makes a lot of sense for him, but we better get essentially another No. 1.'”

In the four games since Los Angeles acquired Bishop, he and Quick have each started twice. Quick earned the Kings’ only win during that stretch – a shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.