Tampa Bay Lightning: 50 Greatest Moments In Franchise History
By Kyle Barber
Oct 3, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop (30) makes a save in the third period of a game against the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
22. Tampa Bay Lightning Trade For Ben Bishop
Date: February 26, 2012
Not everyday is an elite level goaltender is traded away. However, that is exactly what the Lightning got in return when the team made a trade with the Ottawa Senators that would send the 6’7 Ben Bishop to Tampa Bay in exchange for forward Cory Conacher and a 2013 4th round pick.
With goaltending continuing to be an issue for the team, Yzerman understood that he needed to make a move in order to sure up that position. In order to do that, he had to find a team willing to trade away a goaltender without giving up the farm. What he found was a star in the making battling for playing time with an organization that had a healthy supply of goaltending available.
Back in Ottawa, the team was riding with Craig Anderson and Bishop as the team’s NHL goalie tandem with Robin Lehner also knocking on the door. The organization felt that Bishop was someone they could afford to move from a position that also had Andrew Hammond and Chris Driedger as potential NHL level prospects. Senators general manager Bryan Murray would pull the trigger on the deal hoping that Conacher would provide some depth scoring on a team that desperately needed help putting the puck in the back of the net as the team ranked 27th in the league in goals scored per game.
Bishop has a career 2.24 GAA and .920 SV% in his time with the Lightning (including playoffs) and has solidified a position that was once a weakness for the organization. With Bishop, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Kristers Gudlevskis, Adam Wilcox and recent 2015 draft pick Kristian Oldham now making up the organizations goaltending depth, the position should be a strength in the organization for many years to come.
The Lightning won this deal by a landslide, and are hoping Bishop has the ability to bring home the team’s second ever Stanley Cup title.
Next: Captain Stammer