Goalie Ben Bishop has been acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Cory Conacher and a fourth round pick.
The 6’7″ 205 lbs. goalie played 13 games and was 8-5 for the Ottawa Senators this season with a 2.45 GAA and a .922 save percentage. Bishop became expendable because of the crowded crease in Ottawa, The veteran Craig Anderson is the starter and Robin Lehner is the future of the Senators. (Photo/Susan Ferlita)
Conacher had seven goals and 11 assists in his first 19 games. He has two goals and four assists in his last 16 games.
Bolts GM Steve Yzerman had to deal from his strength and once he decided that he needed a goalie, he had to trade from his deep supply of talented forwards. It appears that Yzerman chose to keep Tyler Johnson over Conacher. Bishop may have been the most sought after goalie and the Lightning were one of a handful of teams that could afford to deal a talented forward like Conacher.
Here is the announcement from the team:
The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired goaltender Ben Bishop from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft today, vice president and general manager announced.
“I am extremely excited to be part of the Lightning organization,” Bishop said. “They have a lot of great players and hopefully we can win a lot of hockey games this season and moving forward.”
Bishop, 6-foot-7, 214 pounds, has played in 13 games with the Senators this season, posting an 8-5-1 record with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. He also has one shutout. Bishop’s eight wins are tied for the team lead, while he ranks tied for eighth in the NHL for save percentage among goaltenders with 10 or more games played. He also played in 13 games with the Binghamton Senators of the AHL this season, posting an 8-3-2 record with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.
A native of Denver, Colorado, Bishop has played in 36 career NHL games, compiling a 15-13-3 record and a 2.58 goals-against average with a .911 save percentage. He made his NHL debut during the 2008-09 season with the St. Louis Blues. Bishop made his Ottawa debut last season against the Lightning, a 7-3 win at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
The University of Maine product was drafted by St. Louis in the third round, 85th overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Bishop was then acquired by Ottawa from the Blues on February 26, 2012 in exchange for a second round pick in 2013.
Conacher, 5-8, 179 pounds, has played in 35 games this season, recording nine goals and 24 points. He was signed by the Lightning as a free agent on July 5, 2011.
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