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Morning Skate: Empty trade winds keep swirling around Ben Bishop
He wants out. But who wants him?
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Lace ‘em up. Time for the Morning Skate.
One of the biggest fish at the trade deadline basically confirmed he’s ready to hit the market.
But who wants Ben Bishop? The Tampa Bay Lightning goalie has two things going against him: He’s in the middle of a down year and he’s about to become an unrestricted free agent. No matter who reports on Bishop trade rumors, they always have the same flavor: There’s no market for him right now.
But he will move. One question GMs in any sport must ask themselves before trade deadlines is this: Is it worth keeping a player and losing him for nothing in free agency, or trading him now and getting something back?
Whatever bounty Steve Yzerman thought he’d get for Bishop isn’t there anymore, but that something is better than nothing.
ABOUT THAT OTHER GOALIE ...
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
If Marc-Andre Fleury asks, the Penguins say they will trade him. Note: He hasn’t asked yet! But Pittsburgh says they’ll move quickly if he does.
Meanwhile, the Predators made an odd trade this weekend. A fourth-round pick for Vernon Fiddler? I wonder how many seconds elapsed before the Devils said yes.
THERE’S SMOKE
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Are the Kings and Sabres planning a trade? Recent moves and travel plans suggest the two teams are talking, at least. The first names that come to mind are Evander Kane or Dmitry Kulikov, because we all know which team is the seller and which is the buyer.
Speaking of trades (that time of year, eh?), Anaheim might be a good partner for the Bolts at the deadline.
RETURN OF THE WHALERS?
Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
With the Islanders’ arena situation up in the air, Hartford politicians are tempting the Islanders to move there. This is either a massive troll job or an actual plan. Not sure which. But I found that picture of former Mets player Jason Bay in a Whalers jersey. The Islanders had plans (have plans?) to partner with the Mets for a new stadium in Queens. Irony!
Our writer gave up puns for a week and then put them on our website. Ugh.
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