Ben Bishop grew up in St. Louis and has a family filled with Blues fans. So imagine how awkward it was during the Dallas Stars’ Round 2 seven-game series defeat at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
“I think it was a little different,” Bishop told NBC Sports. “My poor family, they’ve been Blues fans their whole lives. Obviously, when they win it they have to go through their brother or son, so I think it was a little bit different for the family, but I know they were happy for the Blues. Just a little different feeling having gone through the Stars to get there.”
The Stars took a big step last season and have reason for higher expectations in 2019-20. The rising Miro Heiskanen, the emergence of Roope Hintz, the addition of Joe Pavelski, and banking on another strong performance by Bishop should make Dallas a tough out in the NHL’s most difficult division.
We spoke with Bishop about lessons learned from last season, the Stars’ summer, and more.
Enjoy.
Q. The success the first year with Jim Montgomery, is that a product of what he brought or a product of what you guys brought?
BISHOP: “A little bit of both. I think you look at Jim’s resume, he’s won everywhere he’s been — in the USHL, in college he won as well at the University of Denver, he won a championship. So, he’s got that winning pedigree that comes with him, so, I think coming into this year everyone was excited and we have some talented players and the combination it equaled a pretty good year.”
Q. How did that feel being back in that situation where you’re “Ok now we are there?”
BISHOP: “It was great, I mean that is what you train all summer for, the preseason games the regular season games, to get a chance to you know give yourself that opportunity to win a Stanley Cup. You know you have to get into the playoffs first so, I think being in the playoffs there is not a better experience or feeling. A seven-game series, there really isn’t much better as you play the games, kind of get a little monotonous and then when you get into the postseason and every game is all or nothing. So, every game is a lot of fun to be a part of it.”
Q. What do you take from the first round victory? Is that something you guys can build on?
BISHOP: “Absolutely. I think we had a lot of young guys [last] year kind of getting their first taste of playoff hockey and when you get in the playoffs to win a round and to have that feeling what it is like to go onto the next one, it’s contagious and you want to strive for it, to get that feeling again, so when we get there guys know what it takes to get to the next round. I think also the hurt of losing will stick with you knowing you don’t want to go through that again.”
Q. What have you done to ensure that you’re available to play more games perhaps than you have in the past?
BISHOP: “I think as you get a little bit older you have to kind of learn your body and know what has made you successful and unsuccessful in the past. I think I did a pretty good job looking back and seeing what happened last year and where I can improve as far as the nutrition reset and working out and what not, so hopefully we have taken care of all of that and looking forward to a long healthy season.”
Q. Jim Nill went out and added some veteran leadership in Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry.
BISHOP: “Well, I think anytime those guys are available I am pretty sure all of the teams out there wanted those guys. I think it just speaks a lot of Jim Nill and then the organization to be able to go out and get these guys and giving us the best opportunity to win. It’s really exciting and I think anybody would love to have those guys on their team.”
Q. With the additions, and the playoff success last year, what are the expectations for Dallas this season?
BISHOP: “Well, I think there is going to be the high expectations, but at the same time I think for myself you always set the same goal it is to win the first game of the season. You can’t talk about the playoffs without going through the regular season and you can’t talk about where you want to finish in the regular season without going through the games, so it is a pretty easy goal. You have to win the first game and then after that win the second game and then you kind of go from there because when you start looking too far ahead you kind of forget about what is going on right in front of your face. I think you have to take care of business and on a day to day basis and get to that first goal, which is making the playoffs.”
(The Stars are 0-3-0 and face the Capitals Tuesday night.)
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.