[hockey.modern]

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightn...-close/2292084

Lightning goalie Ben Bishop thought he was headed to Calgary.

Bishop, 29, the two-time Vezina Trophy finalist, was one of the league's most sought-after trade targets during the June NHL Draft in Buffalo. The Flames, in need of a No. 1 goalie, were hot on his trail and received permission from Tampa Bay to discuss contract with Bishop, who is entering the last year of his deal at a $5.95 million cap hit.

Bishop said his camp was "in the process" of working out a potential contract with Calgary, but the Flames instead acquired Bishop's former Blues teammate, Brian Elliott, from St. Louis on June 24 for a second round pick and conditional third round pick in 2018.

"It looked like for a little bit it was going to happen," Bishop told the Tampa Bay Times by phone Friday. "At kind of the last minute (the Flames) went out and got Elliott. It was close, but there was never... It wasn't that close, obviously."

Close could be a matter of perspective. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said after the draft he wasn't close to making a deal. Flames GM Brad Treliving declined to comment on Bishop. But the fact it got to the point where Bishop, who has a partial no-move clause, was talking contract with Flames, and was considering it, means things were at least advanced. And it makes one wonder if Bishop might already be in Calgary if negotiations had gone better.