Trade speculation surrounding Tampa Bay goaltender Ben Bishop is nothing new. Since the Lightning made it clear that Andrei Vasilevkiy was the team's future in net, everybody became aware that Bishop's days with the Bolts were numbered.
Still, there was a lot of debate on whether it would be in the Lightning's best interest to trade Bishop before this season's trade deadline or just let him walk away via free agency this summer.
At one point, I would have at least entertained the idea of just holding onto the netminder if he increased the likelihood of Tampa Bay hoisting the Stanley Cup this spring. However, the current state of the Lightning leaves Steve Yzerman with only one logical option. Ben Bishop has to be dealt.
The Lightning, once a favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season, are struggling to produce anything positive on the ice. Their struggles have led them out of the playoff discussion and to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Yes, there is still time to turn it around but the likelihood just is not there anymore.
It is now time for the organization to take a serious look at this roster and find ways to make the team better for the 2017-18 season. This means that the Lightning should be sellers as the trade deadline draws closer.
Ben Bishop is hands-down their most valuable trade chip and the team just does not have a good enough reason to hold onto him anymore. He may be having his struggles this season but a lot of teams still view him as an extremely talented goalie that they can build their franchise around.
The key to any trade involving Bishop is what the Lightning will receive in return. They want assets to help them in the future, whether that be next season or a little further down the road. Receiving a big name rental at this point does nothing to help a team that is simply not in the chase for a playoff spot right now.
As I mentioned, trading Bishop has been a big discussion with a lot of debate attached to it this season. Unfortunately, there is no more arguement to be made. Ben Bishop has got to go.