Ben(n) Bishop talk

[cdanew]

Yes, and $1 million less average per year than Kari is currently making. Bishop must really have wanted to come back to Texas!

[ScubaSteve]

Nice

[slaps]

That's nice. I guess term was more important than money. He'll be what, 36 at the end?

[cdanew]

LeBrun reporting: "$7 M, $6.5 M, $5.5 M, $3.5 M, $3.5 M, $3.5 M; and NMC throughout, modified NTC last 3 years". Looks like Stars really are focused on the next 3 years, as they should be.

[Troy McClure]

Cheap up front, but that is a damn long contract.

[slaps]

I think it's less money and same or less term than he would have been offered on the open market.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Shoulda been the league minimum. Do I need to remind you people he's a goaltender?

[SaintAngerBH]

WHOOOO!!! We have at least average goaltending again!!!!

[cdanew]

I had seen some speculation on 5 years, 5.5m to 6m per. That extra year doesn't bother me and clearly doesn't bother Nill. If it doesn't work out, he won't see the end of that deal anyway!

[The Frugal Gourmet]

If it doesn't work out, he won't see the end of that deal anyway!

Why? What are you planning to do?

[SaintAngerBH]

That announcer sounds like he's on speed.

[Jason]

[SaintAngerBH]

So, I guess we will keep Lehtonen as the backup? I think I am slightly more comfortable with him in net than Niemi.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Nah, I prefer Niemi.

What I would really like, though, is to get rid of both and actually let a young guy play the position.

[The Frugal Gourmet]

8th in shutouts?

What a loser.

[Troy McClure]

Looks like they're keeping Kari.

[SaintAngerBH]

I wonder how Lehtonen feels about that. Has to sting a little.

[B Kat]

Well, that's that. And it does improve our goaltending. (Hopefully)

I doubt we could rid both Finns, but I'd like to do that. Start with a clean slate.

[B Kat]

TSN analysis of the trade/signing.

http://www.tsn.ca/statistically-speakin ... p-1.750157

Click link, there's a nice chart with fancy stats I don't understand. But anyway, I agree with the verdict.

Verdict: It’s understandable that the Stars would want to make changes to their goaltending after recent struggles, but investing big money in the position, for a goaltender over 30-years-old, means that the solution they’ve chosen is fraught with risk. There just aren’t that many goaltenders over 31 that are performing at a peak level and that’s Bishop’s starting point in this contract. The best hope for success is for Bishop to perform well in the early years of this deal and the later years, when the actual salary decreases (to $3.5M per season in each of the last three years), are easier to move or buy out, if necessary. It’s never a good sign when you’re looking at the buyout terms the day that the deal is signed.

[#JTONTFJTGM]

[#JTONTFJTGM]

[ScubaSteve]

TSN analysis of the trade/signing.

http://www.tsn.ca/statistically-speakin ... p-1.750157

Click link, there's a nice chart with fancy stats I don't understand. But anyway, I agree with the verdict.

Verdict: It’s understandable that the Stars would want to make changes to their goaltending after recent struggles, but investing big money in the position, for a goaltender over 30-years-old, means that the solution they’ve chosen is fraught with risk. There just aren’t that many goaltenders over 31 that are performing at a peak level and that’s Bishop’s starting point in this contract. The best hope for success is for Bishop to perform well in the early years of this deal and the later years, when the actual salary decreases (to $3.5M per season in each of the last three years), are easier to move or buy out, if necessary. It’s never a good sign when you’re looking at the buyout terms the day that the deal is signed.

We're two years into a four year window that started when we acquired Spezza and ends when we pay or lose Seguin. We wasted all of last year by not correcting the goaltending. Since we only have two years left, I'm all for "win now" moves.

[ToddM]

I wonder how Lehtonen feels about that. Has to sting a little.

You know what else stings a little? 40 unscreened goals from the blue line every season.

[oglethorpe]

TSN analysis of the trade/signing.

http://www.tsn.ca/statistically-speakin ... p-1.750157

Click link, there's a nice chart with fancy stats I don't understand. But anyway, I agree with the verdict.

Verdict: It’s understandable that the Stars would want to make changes to their goaltending after recent struggles, but investing big money in the position, for a goaltender over 30-years-old, means that the solution they’ve chosen is fraught with risk. There just aren’t that many goaltenders over 31 that are performing at a peak level and that’s Bishop’s starting point in this contract. The best hope for success is for Bishop to perform well in the early years of this deal and the later years, when the actual salary decreases (to $3.5M per season in each of the last three years), are easier to move or buy out, if necessary. It’s never a good sign when you’re looking at the buyout terms the day that the deal is signed.

We're two years into a four year window that started when we acquired Spezza and ends when we pay or lose Seguin. We wasted all of last year by not correcting the goaltending. Since we only have two years left, I'm all for "win now" moves.

[Knives Out]

I am nodding slowly and grunting like a Yakuza boss.

[slaps]

I wonder how Lehtonen feels about that. Has to sting a little.

[Troy McClure]

Interesting twist. I don't think it's that big of a deal, but it is fun for the armchair GM.

But according to a report from the Joural de Montreal’s Renaud Lavoie, Bishop wasn’t Dallas’ first choice. Instead, Stars GM Jim Nill wanted Scott Darling from the Chicago Blackhawks.

According to Lavoie, Nill wasn’t interested in giving up a third-round pick for Darling’s exclusive negotiating rights, so the ‘Hawks shipped him to Carolina instead.

[ScubaSteve]

That doesn't necessarily mean that Darling was favored over Bishop. It just means Nill was investigating all available options simultaneously.

[slaps]

I'm fine with either one. I've seen some articles pointing out the Bishop and Lehtonen are somewhat similar in terms of stats, so this may not be a big upgrade for Dallas. However, it's a mental upgrade. Everyone in the AAC (and on the team, whether they admit it or not) has the same thought when Kari lets in a goal or two: "*poo poo*, here we go again." And then the game is lost.

With Bishop, it's a clean slate and his win/loss stats seem to show that, when a bad or fluky goal happens, the game isn't essentially over. He can rebound.

[ToddM]

Bishop and Kari had similar stats last year, when Bishop was battling injuries and Kari... was Kari.

Before that, Bishop was #2 and #3 in the Vezina in two of the three years prior to that, a top-10 Hart trophy finalist, and led the entire league in GAA two seasons ago.

Kari, uh, once led the league in overtime losses.

So, yeah, basically the same guy.