Ben Bishop Daily Fantasy News, Rankings, Projections

Oft-injured Ben Bishop departed Wednesday's game, forcing Anton Khudobin into action. Khudobin came in and made 15 saves on 16 shots in a tough matchup against Calgary. The next night, Khudobin made 40 saves on 42 shots as the Stars strengthened their playoff position with a 3-2 win in the shootout against the Oilers. Vancouver's offense has really sputtered after the All-Star Break as they are averaging the third-fewest goals per game (2.33 GF/G). Khudobin is far too cheap even in a road matchup. Dallas continues to get strong goaltending and either Khudobin ($7,300 on DraftKings) or Bishop ($7,500 on DraftKings if healthy) provides a nice discount. They routinely see shots and have a good chance to pick up the victory.

Ben Bishop has allowed one or less goals in three of his last five starts, and he hasn't allowed more than three goals in his last six starts. At home, he’s been nearly unstoppable with a 2.09 GAA and .933 SV% to go with a 8-3-2 record. Tonight, he faces a New Jersey team who has been a middle of the road team offensively. They'll be without their best player in Taylor Hall, who was placed on IR recently.

Ben Bishop has allowed one or less goals in three of his last four starts, picking up wins in those three games. At home, he's been nearly unstoppable with a 2.02 GAA and .935 SV% to go with a 8-3-1 record. Tonight, he faces a Montreal team who has been a middle of the road team offensively. Vegas has the Stars as a -165 favorite and I fully expect Bishop to pick up the win.

While Ben Bishop struggled on the road last season (6-9-3, 3.11 goals against average, .891 save percentage), he was a force on home ice where he recorded a 20-8-2 record (2.12 goals against average, .931 save percentage). Through the Minnesota Wild's first six games, they are averaging 2.33 goals per game. They are a solid team, but most of that is predicated on their defense. Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn had no problems cracking the Wild defense last season as they combined for 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in just four games. Backed by a top line that dominates on home ice, Bishop has a good chance of picking up the win tonight in what amounts to a tough slate for goalies.

Full disclosure, I am not a big fan of Ben Bishop, and I rarely look to roster him in any format, but on this short slate, he is the safest option in cash games. The Dallas Stars are the biggest favorite on the board tonight and with the Ottawa Senators both struggling to win games (8-19-5 record on the road), and score goals (sitting dead last in goals per game on the road), Bishop rises to the top of the cash game goalie list. The Dallas Stars goaltender is unlikely to post the highest score of the evening, but he is a lock and load play if you are looking for security.

First things first, the main risk with using Bishop today is the fact he probably will not see much in the way of shot volume. It is not a bad problem to have, necessarily, as it is due to two factors that boost his outlook. First, he is playing behind an elite level defense, one that is among the best in limiting overall shot attempts allowed at 5v5 and is the best at keeping high-danger attempts almost non-existent. Second, the Canucks have one of the worst offenses in the league, entering the game with the third lowest 5v5 adjusted expected goal rate. Additional factors supporting Bishop is the fact Dallas has improved their penalty kill defense in addition to their 5v5 play, and the Canucks are likely to be without a top scorer in Brock Boeser. Vancouver is in the middle of a busy travel schedule, too. While the game does not necessarily give Bishop a sky high ceiling thanks to potentially low shots faced, the low quality attempts he will face and strong likelihood of a win give him a great floor.

It seems we have yet another night where I am not in love with any goaltender for cash games. With that being said, I plan on rolling with Ben Bishop. The Dallas Stars are the only big favorite tonight on this short-slate, and I think we see them handle the New York Rangers tonight on home ice. Bishop can be a tough goalie to trust, and he is unlikely to see a ton of shots, but he has done his best work at the American Airlines Center (2.10 GAA, .937 SV%), and he is our safest bet for a win this evening.

Sometimes the safest option in net can go overlooked in tournaments. One such "safe" option that could fall into this category tonight is Ben Bishop, who has enjoyed modest success in his first year in Dallas; entering tonight's game with a 6-3-1 record to go along with a solid .931 SV% over his last 10 games, which includes two shutouts during that span. He draws a great matchup against a weak Detroit Red Wings team that has generated the second fewest scoring chances among home teams on tonight's slate. In a game that Dallas should control at even strength and special teams, expect Bishop to easily pay off his manageable salary at a lower than expected ownership percentage.

To be fair, the Avalanche have been a better team on offense over the past several weeks compared to how they started. While they have improved, however, they remain a team that is still lags the quality of their peers overall. Additionally, this game is in Dallas so Colorado loses their home ice advantage. The Stars have been one of the best defensive teams in the league this year, posting incredibly low per-hour 5v5 rates of shot attempts, scoring chances, and high danger shot attempts allowed. They enter tonight with the lowest expected goals allowed rate in the league of teams playing on tonights slate, and they are only bested by one other team overall. For his part, Bishop has allowed just eight goals over his past five starts, including a shutout of the Sharks on New Years Eve. Skating behind an elite defensive team, on home ice, in good form, and facing a subpar offense, it adds up to what should be a strong outing for the reasonably priced Bishop tonight.

Sometimes the safest option in net can go overlooked in tournaments. One such "safe" option that could fall into this category tonight is Ben Bishop, who has enjoyed modest success in his first year in Dallas; entering tonight's game with a 9-1 record to go along with a stellar .941 SV% in 10 games started at home. A matchup against a potent Nashville team may seem risky, but the Predators have generated the third fewest scoring chances whereas the Stars own the third lowest xGA/60 on tonight's slate. In a game that should play tight with few goals exchanged between both teams, expect Bishop to easily pay off his manageable salary at a lower than expected ownership percentage.