The Dallas Stars may not have to expose Anton Khudobin to the Seattle Kraken after all. Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News reports that Ben Bishop has agreed to waive his no-movement clause for the expansion draft, meaning the Stars will not be forced to protect him. Bishop’s agent, Allain Roy, explained why his client made the decision:
"I thought that was a good move for him and the team. In the big picture, the goal is to win the Stanley Cup, so I think he felt that was the right move for the team to be the best team possible next year. Makes sense."
The 34-year-old Bishop missed the entire 2020-21 season due to injury but remains an enticing option for the Stars if he can get back to full health. Since arriving in the NHL, the 6-7 netminder has been one of the league’s best, posting a .921 save percentage over 413 appearances. That number has Bishop sitting fifth in NHL history, with Tuukka Rask the only active netminder ahead of him (Dominik Hasek, Johnny Bower and Ken Dryden are the other three). A three-time Vezina Trophy finalist, he was outstanding in his first three years in Dallas, posting a .923 in 143 games.
Of course, that success would also make him a very attractive choice for Seattle, if only the Kraken knew he would be healthy enough to play. That uncertainty and the $4.92M cap hit likely keep him off the Kraken’s radar, but waiving the no-movement still helps out the club. Jake Oettinger, the team’s presumed “goaltender of the future,” is still exempt from selection, meaning the Stars can protect Khudobin and keep their depth intact.
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