Speculation swirls as Bishop misses practice and uneasiness of trade deadline reigns

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
February 26, 2017

TAMPA, Fla. – It’s that time of the year.

When a player misses practice, eye brows rise up and speculation swirls.

The NHL trade deadline elicits that sort of response, particularly when that player has been churned through the rumor mill for weeks, if not months. So when Ben Bishop did not emerge from the locker room for the start of practice on Sunday, needless to say, it set off a mini storm of speculation.

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Before things got too out of hand, however, Bishop showed up to Amalie Arena not feeling well. After a brief conversation with the medical staff, Bishop was given some treatment and sent home to rest.

His status for Monday’s game against Ottawa 7:30 p.m. EST, Fox Sports Sun, 970-AM, tblpowerplay.com was unknown following practice, but it’s expected that Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the call to make the start in net against the Senators while it’s possible a call up from Syracuse will be required before the game.

What that means for Bishop is he might have played his last game in a Lightning uniform.

The trade deadline is Wednesday at 3 p.m. and after Boston beat Dallas Sunday afternoon, the Lightning now sit seven points out of a playoff spot with 22 games remaining in the season. The regulation loss to Calgary on Thursday proved almost detrimental to the Lightning’s already slim playoff chances and may have convinced general manager Steve Yzerman to be a clear seller ahead of Wednesday.

A loss to Ottawa on Monday would all but clinch that viewpoint and the end result could be wholesale changes by the deadline.

Bishop will almost certainly be at the center of whatever changes the Lightning might make, not to mention the possibility of other changes involving players that have been at the center of the team’s success the past three seasons.

The group many Lightning fans have come to be familiar with may be together for the final time on Monday.

”Regardless of where we have been in the standings (at previous trade deadlines the past three seasons) there has been a tweaks to our team,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “But like anything that every gets done, what Steve has planned, it’s improvement. And if nothing gets done because either improvement wasn’t needed or there was nothing out there to improve the team.

“We kept this team together for a reason and unfortunately the trade deadline comes at Game No. 60 and we have only 22 left when we feel that ever since (the beginning of February) we’ve played pretty well. We just have to continue that. Unfortunately there are only 22 left and not 42. We do like the way we’ve been playing.’’

Does that mean Cooper would prefer to be a buyer ahead of the deadline instead of a seller?

”I don’t believe in the buyer-seller thing, it’s team improvement,’’ Cooper said. “It’s, if there is a way to improve the team (Yzerman) is going to do it. That’s it.’’

But this year is much different than the previous three trade deadline days when Tampa Bay was entrenched in a playoff position at the deadline and looking to improve the team’s play for the postseason.

This year they are on the outside looking in, which tends to make players a bit more on edge wondering what might happen, particularly those who are on expiring contracts.

”We are not really a fortified playoff team,’’ said forward Brian Boyle, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent and is one of those who has come up in trade rumors. “But you have to be a pro about it and if you play well, you have some semblance of control over it. But all the hypotheticals, the what-ifs and possibilities are just that. (The media) can write about it, speculate. As players you think about it once in a while but really, what can you do.’’

Boyle has expressed his desire to remain with the team. His wife is from Orlando, the couple is expecting their second child later this year and they have found a home in this area. Not to mention the expanded role Boyle has secured on the team and leadership role that has been expanded this season in the absence of Steven Stamkos and Ryan Callahan, who have been out due to injury.

Being the subject of trade speculation while on a team not heading to the playoffs is a different situation for Boyle.

”This year is a bit different, it’s been a bit more speculation and trades have been happening prior to the deadline,’’ Boyle said. “You think things are starting to lead up for whatever reason and if you think about it, all it really is is a distraction. You communicate, and that’s why you have an agent, you get all your information, but you really have to focus on what we have here as a team. Everybody in the room is all-in on Tampa right now and we’ve shown it the past couple of weeks, Calgary (loss) notwithstanding. I think it was a tough time for that game, but you come and go and now this is a big game against Ottawa and if we win that game it goes a long way in our climb and puts us back in step two days before the deadline.

“Hopefully Wednesday comes and goes and we are talking about our final push and we can talk about that.’’

For a rookie like Brayden Point, it’s a new experience dealilng with the trade deadline, but he knows where to keep the focus.

”I try to focus on playing hockey, I’m a rookie and not really established, so I just try to focus on myself,’’ he said. “This is a great group of guys and they have been awesome to me in my first year and it’s a good group so I want to see these guys stick around.’’

So if there is any uneasiness surrounding a locker room in an unfamiliar position, it hasn’t been apparent as Tampa Bay has points in seven of eight games. Bishop, meanwhile, has won his past five starts, allowing two or fewer goals in each.

The focus has been on the ice, not what may or may not take place off of it.

”I don’t think I sense any (uneasiness),’’ Cooper said. “The trade deadline can be a moment of uncertainty, but I don’t see it around our guys. Our guys, they are working and trying to will this team in to the playoffs, they are battling and you can see that in their play. They are gaming stuff out. If they are feeling the effects, they are not outwardly showing it.’’

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