Ben Bishop traded to LA Kings by Tampa Bay

With Ben Bishop traded, the Lightning will receive Peter Budaj and then some.

There’s been a lot going on for the Los Angeles Kings — and now they’ve acquired Ben Bishop. The former Lightning goalie will join the team after being dealt for Peter Budaj, a prospect, and a draft pick.

Budaj stepped in majorly for the Kings in the absence of Jonathan Quick, but he’s healthy now. After leading the league with seven shutout performances, it will be interesting to see how Budaj will fit with his new team.

As for Bishop, it’s a transition he probably didn’t imagine happening.

Just two years removed from being a Vezina Trophy finalist and playing in the Stanley Cup Final, he’s been traded.

Los Angeles is out of a wild card spot at the moment. Thankfully, they still have just over twenty games remaining.

For Bishop to be effective with Los Angeles, it’s essential that he understand his new role. It’ll be a lot for the goalie to take in, but it’s manageable.

Bishop has a 16-12 record this season, with a 146-77 career mark. Drafted in 2005 by St. Louis, Bishop is playing his ninth season in the NHL.

It could be exactly the thing that the Kings needed to get things in order. Having Quick back helps a tremendous amount, but insurance never hurts.

Should they make the playoffs, the Western Conference is a hostile place to try and play, let alone win. At that point, the Kings will have to be well-tested everywhere.

For Darryl Sutter, the move comes after beating the Sharks on Saturday. As a result, Sutter now owns the title of winningest coach of the LA Kings.

Next: Darryl Sutter Makes History

The next game for Los Angeles will be in Minnesota on Monday night.