OT: Ben Bishop signs with Dallas Stars (6 years, $4.9M AAV)

[CupsOverCash]

I'm a bit upset about losing Bish because I think he was a gigantic reason why our team was so good those two seasons we went deep into the playoffs. Especially after seeing his contract. Yzerman made this decision because we drafted Vasi to be the franchise goalie. We drafted him before we knew Bishop would be a great goalie. I think Vasi will be a great goalie too but it will take time. It usually does. He wasn't great this year but he had some spurts of greatness. We are going to need him to be great especially if we can't fix our D issues.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Umm this is the bolts board

We made the right decision on Bish.

FP originally posted this in the Bishop trade thread. I made this its own thread since Bish was a huge part of this team and well liked by the fan base.

I for one am a bit shocked. That is all it would have taken to keep him? #bishplz

 

[The Macho King]

FP originally posted this in the Bishop trade thread. I made this its own thread since Bish was a huge part of this team and well liked by the fan base.

I for one am a bit shocked. That is what it would have taken to keep him? #bishplz

I don't think that's a contract he signs last offseason. He had a rough year this year, and the market for goalies is pretty dry (and now there is more significant competition since MAF has reemerged as a top goalie - at least in perception).

 

[LightningStrikes]

I don't think that's a contract he signs last offseason. He had a rough year this year, and the market for goalies is pretty dry (and now there is more significant competition since MAF has reemerged as a top goalie - at least in perception).

But maybe this off-season with us if we kept him?

Oh well time to move on. He's still one of the greatest players to ever wear the black white and blue for me.

 

[dechire]

As the resident Stars/Bolts fan I couldn't be happier. Going to be weird seeing Bish in green but I'm excited to get his jersey. So happy I can still cheer him on wholeheartedly and cheer on Vasy as a starter at the same time

 

[The Gongshow]

Gonna miss Ben, its gonna be a while before Vasi is a proven #1. He was way too shaky this year going on great win streaks followed by awful losing streaks.

I'm just hoping our roster stays healthy to give us a chance at making playoffs again. I don't think I could handle another stretch of not making playoffs again

 

[HoseEmDown]

I'm upset with this deal, I wanted that 4.9 eating up our cap when he's on IR once a month for the next 6 years.

 

[Sky04]

Seems most of you forgot what vezina caliber goaltending looks like, chances are greater that Bishop remains a top goaltender the entire duration of that contract than Vasi reaching level prior to this year

 

[Sky04]

Its ok that some of you are bitter that hes gone, i remem er some of the same people were sold on lindback too.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Seems most of you forgot what vezina caliber goaltending looks like, chances are greater that Bishop remains a top goaltender the entire duration of that contract than Vasi reaching level prior to this year

I didn't realize .910 was Vezina level goaltending. Bishop is good when the team is good, but if the team isn't his numbers aren't the same. Dallas is far from a good team defensively so I expect average numbers and at his age it shouldn't improve as the deal goes on.

 

[MattM92]

That term is pretty bad. Money is about right for him. I really do believe he was asking 7x7 from us just like he was asking from Calgary. That's what killed the trade last year. One year later he gets a harsh dose of reality in the form of a subpar season, a trade to a bubble team for meh return, and missing the playoffs. I'm guessing he signed this deal because he was starting to realize that was the best he was gonna get. I bet the only reason he got the 6 year term from Dallas is because they are getting desperate for solid goaltending as well. This is what, their 3rd crack at finding that starting goalie?

 

[Sky04]

I didn't realize .910 was Vezina level goaltending. Bishop is good when the team is good, but if the team isn't his numbers aren't the same. Dallas is far from a good team defensively so I expect average numbers and at his age it shouldn't improve as the deal goes on.

Wrong, explain his numbers the first half of the 2015 season then? More like the otherway around instant Bishop doesn't carry, the team collapses.

Fairly confident Ben will be posting better numbers than Vasi for 4 or 5 of those 6 years.

Funny, the thing about keeping Vasi was that he'll be "cheap" compared to Bishop when in all likelihood after 3 years he'll be making just as much or more.

 

[Sky04]

The term is "bad" by what? A year? A ton of goaltenders remain solid and post strong numbers through 30-34~, let alone a guy who started his career late.

 

[FinnLightning26]

I loved Bish and hoped we could find a way to keep him but it became pretty clear last summer that Vasilevski was the guy the organization wanted. I have faith in Vasilevski and I think he can become a great goalie. He's already showed that he can come up big when needed like last year in the playoffs against the unstoppable Pens. He needs to fix his rebound control and become more consistent but that usually comes with age like the rest of the mental side of the game. One of the biggest things that made Bishop so good was his mental toughness. He always bounced back with a great performance after a not so good one and he thrived under the pressure. I just hope Vasi doesn't take too long because if he can get the mental side of his game under control, he'll be a great goalie for our franchise for 10+ years.

 

[Bolt32]

Wrong, explain his numbers the first half of the 2015 season then? More like the otherway around instant Bishop doesn't carry, the team collapses.

Fairly confident Ben will be posting better numbers than Vasi for 4 or 5 of those 6 years.

Funny, the thing about keeping Vasi was that he'll be "cheap" compared to Bishop when in all likelihood after 3 years he'll be making just as much or more.

Id love to revisit this in a couple of years but likelihood is id forget.

Bold prediction , in a few years Vasi will be one of the best netminders in the world.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Wrong, explain his numbers the first half of the 2015 season then? More like the otherway around instant Bishop doesn't carry, the team collapses.

Fairly confident Ben will be posting better numbers than Vasi for 4 or 5 of those 6 years.

Funny, the thing about keeping Vasi was that he'll be "cheap" compared to Bishop when in all likelihood after 3 years he'll be making just as much or more.

That's weird seeing how Vasilevskiy had a better save % this season than Bishop. So you're saying Vasilevskiy isn't going to improve 4 or 5 of the next 6 years, while Bishop won't fall off?

Vasilevskiy became a starter at 22, Bishop didn't till he was 27 and his trend has been great year, avwrage year, great year, average year so I wouldn't be too confident in being better more than have those 6 years. Vasilevskiy will be making more in 3 years because he will 26 and in his prime so will command more like Bishop did when he got the two year deal from us.

 

[Hoek]

I don't know how anyone looks at Vasi's .920-.930 run since February and thinks man this guy sucks and will never be a #1.

His only bad stretch was when Bishop went down with others and everyone else sucked too. He was thrown to the wolves with nobody to come in and give him a break mentally.

Keeping Bishop wouldn't have been a bad option per se especially in light of what he accepted (though he would've been able to drive a harder bargain with us) but I seriously doubt Vasi would've brought the big haul you're imagining that would've made it worth giving up on 10+ years of him. Goalies always go for less than you'd expect, and we would have been selling low.

 

[dbieon12]

I don't know how anyone looks at Vasi's .920-.930 run since February and thinks man this guy sucks and will never be a #1.

His only bad stretch was when Bishop went down with others and everyone else sucked too. He was thrown to the wolves with nobody to come in and give him a break mentally.

Keeping Bishop wouldn't have been a bad option per se especially in light of what he accepted (though he would've been able to drive a harder bargain with us) but I seriously doubt Vasi would've brought the big haul you're imagining that would've made it worth giving up on 10+ years of him. Goalies always go for less than you'd expect, and we would have been selling low.

Agree. Had to be Vasi eventually. Unfortunately Bishop's contract situation wasn't delayed by a year or two. Vasi will be competitive once we get healthy and put a defense that is sturdy enough yet still fast enough to compete in front of him.

 

[Shoresy Snipes]

Love Bish, but he's made of glass at times (especially during playoffs).
My guess, he's going to be like Cally... injured 1/3 of the time (1/2 of the time if they make playoffs)

Will his level of play fall off into his mid-thirties? Probably not. Will his number of games played, healthy, fall off over the next six years? Highly likely.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

We'll sign a capable back-up who will take some of the pressure off Vasy next year. Reminder that Vasilevskiy will be only 23 next year, and most goalies don't get a sniff of the NHL until 25 or older. His development is on track. Worst case scenario, he's a bust, and we go after someone more proven (I highly doubt it gets to this). The goalie market has proven to be flexible and accommodating for buyers.

I love Bish but this was the right call.

 

[berlin]

Good for Ben, but we have our future goalie for the next 20 years.