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NHL Notebook: Senators make trade for goaltender help
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The Ottawa Senators moved quickly to add insurance with their top goalie out of the lineup.
The team acquired 6-foot-7 Ben Bishop from the St. Louis Blues Sunday for a second-round draft pick in 2013. Down in the minors, Bishop has been among the best goalies in the American Hockey League this season.
He joins the Senators less than a week after Craig Anderson had surgery for a severed tendon in his right hand. He cut his small finger while preparing food.
"We had talked about a depth goaltender or a goaltender since we didn't have enough depth at that position," Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray said. "Ben is a five-year pro and has had a real growth in his game the last couple of years. [Senators goaltending coach] Rick Wamsley had worked with him for two years and knows him quite well as a person.
"We think this man is ready to play in the NHL at some point here. Whether he plays right away or not, we'll determine that as we go forward."
Bishop, the tallest goalie in the NHL, was to have become a free agent this summer but agreed to a one-year contract extension as part of the trade. That ensures the Senators will have time to evaluate him.
Alex Auld is Anderson's regular backup. Neither Murray nor Senators coach Paul MacLean would divulge when Bishop would see his first action with the team.
Bishop, 25, has made 13 NHL appearances for the Blues but found himself behind Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott in the rotation this season.
San Jose head coach Todd McLellan left his team's game at Minnesota after being hit in the head with a stick on the bench. The team said he was alert and responsive. Wild doctors treated the injury after McLellan was struck early in the second period..
McLellan was down on the bench during a stoppage of play. A stretcher was wheeled across the ice for him, but McLellan was able to get up and walk to the locker room on his own, though he moved gingerly with his body bent forward. Assistant coach Matt Shaw gave the Sharks a quick pep talk, and the game continued.
Montreal owner says Pierre Gauthier is still the team's general manager. With speculation rampant that Gauthier had been fired, Geoff Molson took to Twitter to dismiss such talk. He says "rumors of Pierre Gauthier's firing are false."
Molson is also the team president and there was further talk that Molson had taken over as general manager.
First Published February 27, 2012 12:00 am
