Bolts need Bishop to be usual towering presence.
By JOEY JOHNSTON
Tribune Staff Writer
(c) Tampa Bay Times. Originally published April 12, 2016.
TAMPA — For Lightning forward Tyler Johnson, size is a constant theme. At 5-foot-8, he survives — and thrives — in the National Hockey League. Sometimes, he grows weary of hearing the little-guy reference.
“You do what you can with what you’ve got,” Johnson said. “We’ve seen (players) like me before. I truly don’t think it’s that unusual or amazing.”
Johnson pointed across the locker room.
“Now that guy, what he does is absolutely amazing,” Johnson said.
When sizing up the Lightning’s chances in the NHL playoffs, which begin Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 at Amalie Arena, Johnson has the proper instincts. It all points to goaltender Ben Bishop as the key.
And to use Johnson’s words, Bishop’s season has been absolutely amazing.
The numbers have been impressive enough — 35 victories, a 2.06 goals-against-average and a .926 save percentage — to make him a contender for the Vezina Trophy. But numbers don’t do justice to Bishop’s efforts.
In the parlance of baseball, Bishop has continually gone into net this season with no-hit stuff. He has carried the Lightning, through continuous offensive slumbers, and deserves a much better statistical fate.
“All things considered, what Ben has done this season probably should be considered about as good as anybody has ever done it in goal,” former Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk said. “Sometimes, numbers don’t fully tell the story.”
And sometimes they tell a story that borders on fiction.
Bishop’s key number: He’s 6-foot-7, the tallest goaltender in NHL history.
“I’ve seen him a lot, but it still blows my mind to watch him, to see how athletic he is at that size, to watch the problems he creates for our opponents,” Andreychuk said.
Bishop’s size is becoming less unusual. But even with larger goaltenders becoming the trend, Bishop remains the poster boy for what can be achieved. He has shattered stereotypes, particularly for old-school coaches and scouts who might have once sniffed, “6-foot-7? Let’s move him to defenseman.”
Johnson said the Lightning possess one of the game’s ultimate weapons. Selfishly, Johnson said he’s elated not having to face Bishop in a playoff game.
“It was a shock when he first got here and it’s still something to get used to, just going up against him in practice,” Johnson said. “His size can intimidate a shooter. He covers everything up. There’s not much to shoot at.
“He makes you think twice. Maybe you shoot from further back or you pass. From that viewpoint, it’s really a challenge.”
And what does Bishop see?
The same thing as always, back to his formative years in St. Louis, when he dabbled in basketball, but never lost his love for hockey. He was allowed to grow into his role — and goaltender always was his preference.
“I just like being there,” said Bishop, 29. “I like the action and the way you can impact the game. I guess from an early age, I just fell in love with it.”
Bishop, too, grows weary about references to his size, which he doesn’t consider unusual when you remove his job description.
His shoe size is 13. At a trim 216 pounds, sometimes he struggles to find the right fit with shirts or pants, but says, “I shop at the mall like anybody else.”
As for a 6-7 player in goal, Bishop doesn’t consider it more unusual than a 260-pound quarterback such as Cam Newton reaching the Super Bowl.
“Athletes in all sports are changing every year, getting bigger and faster, doing things that we’ve never seen before,” Bishop said.
That being said, Bishop admits to special challenges.
“I don’t think I’m the most flexible goalie out there,” said Bishop, who has been helped by yoga. “Some guys out there are freakishly flexible, but I’m definitely not one of them. You play to your body type and I’m not the type to be doing splits and things like that.
“You have to be quick and instinctive. You have to go from side to side. I don’t think people realize how many times we go up and down, just slamming our bodies all over the ice. And even when you’re just standing in your position, it’s like doing a wall-sit for two minutes during a power play in your zone. So you’ve got to be fit.”
Andreychuk, who was a 6-4 center, said a large part of Bishop’s skills are “God-given … because most people that size are not able to move like he does.”
“I’m no giant by any means, but it’s harder when you’re a certain size, especially with the pads on,” Andreychuk said. “So I marvel at what he does. I think what we have with Ben, it’s an incredible asset.”
Size matters.
Lightning television analyst Brian Engblom, a former NHL player, said that’s a fact in today’s game.
“The Lightning really have some players who catch your eye,” Engblom said.
There is 6-foot-6 defenseman Victor Hedman, who can “control the flow of a game,” Engblom said.
“And there’s Bishop, who you could count on one hand the number of bad periods he had this season,” he said. “Very few bad goals. And he has been under constant pressure. Some of the games he has lost, it was just wrong, borderline criminal. He has been brilliant and just defined his position, even when the Lightning offense was playing a little disinterested. He has carried this team.”
Some say Bishop has carried too much of a load.
“He has been our MVP for sure,” Hedman said. “He has bailed us out so many times. We can’t rely on that too much. He gives us a chance to win every night and what else can you ask from a goalie?”
Winning is the bottom line, said former New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter, a U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer.
Richter is 5-11. Sometimes, he wonders if he would have a place in today’s game.
“Ben Bishop is not just some big guy who fills the net and hopes the puck hits him,” Richter said. “All four lines now can shoot the puck. There are composite sticks, tremendous training for these forwards, guys who can find every corner.
“If you’re not legitimate, you will be exposed. Ben amazes me, how well he moves from left to right, keeping up with the flow of a game. Even a big guy will have holes between their arms or legs, so you’ve got to have fundamentals, too. He’s just solid. And if there’s a bad game, which there almost never is with him, he comes back solid. To me, that’s the mark of a champion.’’
Richter remembers everyone viewing Eric Lindros (6-4, 240 pounds) with curiosity when he entered the NHL.
“Now there’s a bunch of guys physically like him in the league,” Richter said. “No doubt, players are getting bigger and faster all the time. It truly has become a big man’s game.
“There will be more guys like Ben Bishop. You have to be exceptional these days to make it when you are small. But no matter the size, you need players with the mental makeup, the physical ability, the coordination and the love of the game. You know, the whole package. That’s what I see in Ben.”
Wednesday night, the Red Wings will see a formidable obstacle in front of the net, a sizable challenge. And Bishop will see the same game he has always played.
“It’s about stopping the puck, taking advantage of your opportunities,” Bishop said. “The little things still make a difference.”
Even in a big man’s body.
