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Dallas Stars Daily Links: The Dynamic Duo

Recent loss aside, Anton Khudobin and Ben Bishop combine to form the best goaltending tandem in the league. Plus, point system alternatives, NHL players tell all, and more.

They may not be the kings of save percentage right now thanks to the game that shall not be named, but the Dallas Stars’ goaltending duo are for sure the best tandem in the NHL this season.

Let’s start with Anton Khudobin — he may be labeled as the “backup,” but he has been one of the team’s best players this season:

[Khudobin] has probably stolen six points for the Stars this season. That’s the difference between them being in the playoffs and not being in the playoffs as they enter the mid-season break. And if you believe in the theory that he provides both rest and competition for Ben Bishop, then the scrappy back-up might be one of the most valuable players on the team.

And then there’s the No. 1, Ben Bishop. After finishing second place in the Vezina Trophy voting last year for the NHL’s best goaltender, Bishop is favored by many to win it this season. Which of course makes his exclusion from the NHL All-Star game ridiculous:

It would be a perfect storyline for the 2020 All-Star Game in St. Louis to have a native son return to play in this NHL showpiece, just like having Bishop lead the Stars into Enterprise Center last year during the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The fact that Bishop will have to watch the events like the rest of us should be considered a huge failure for everyone involved.

You can read more about the Stars’ goaltenders and a boatload of other topics from the Stars’ insiders here.

Central Census

There were only two games last night, but coincidentally both involved the Central Division:

  • To the absolute shock of everyone involved, the Colorado Avalanche trounced the Detroit Red Wings 6-3. [Mile High Hockey]
  • The Minnesota Wild also scored a handful of goals, but ultimately fell short 5-4 to the Florida Panthers. [Hockey Wilderness]/

Oh no, the Winnipeg Jets are starting to fade away. How terrible:

The Athletic is back with its annual player poll, and there’s a couple of eyebrow-raising quotes included:

Patrick Kane recently scored his 1,000th career point, and there are several more who might join him in the next few years:

As someone who keeps his own tabs on what the standings would look like under different point systems, this gets a thumbs-up from me:

Finally, is Elvis Merzlikins the next Jordan Binnington? The Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender could be a dark-horse Calder Trophy candidate:

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