Dallas Stars sign goalie Ben Bishop to 6-year, $29.5M deal
FRISCO, Texas (AP) -- The Dallas Stars have signed goaltender Ben Bishop to a six-year, $29.5-million deal.
General manager Jim Nill announced the terms Friday, less than a week after acquiring rights to the 30-year-old Bishop from the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth-round pick in next month's draft. Bishop was set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer had Dallas not signed him before July 1.
The Stars see the two-time Vezina Trophy finalist as their new starter in net after using both Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi last season, when they failed to make the playoffs. Those two goalies are under contract for next season at a combined $10.4 million. The combined buyouts for both would be about $3.5 million.
The 6-foot-7 Bishop played just seven games after the Kings acquired him from Tampa Bay to play alongside Jonathan Quick. Since-fired Kings general manager Dean Lombardi engineered the trade to create an elite goaltending duo that would allow the Kings to rest Quick, who was returning from a major injury.
Los Angeles still failed to make the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. Bishop went 2-3-2 with a 2.49 goals-against average.
Bishop spent parts of the past five seasons with the Lightning, reaching the 2015 Stanley Cup Final. He finished second in the Vezina voting in 2016 after getting selected for the All-Star Game. Bishop also has played for Ottawa and St. Louis.
The Denver native spent the 2004-05 season with the NAHL's Texas Tornado, playing in the same rink that holds the Stars' training complex in suburban Frisco.
"As I stated previously, Ben is an elite goaltender in this league and we're thrilled to be adding him to our mix," Nill said. "Ben's commitment to what we are building in Dallas, and his passion for wanting to be a part of it, was evident during the negotiating process. We are excited to have him under contract for the next six seasons."
