October is quickly approaching, and the start of the 2014-2015 NHL season is right around the corner. The excitement surrounding the upcoming season is palpable, and few teams come in with higher expectations than the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Last season was a strong one for Tampa Bay, who finished 2nd in the Atlantic divisoin with 101 points, but their run ended in extremely disappointing fashion. The Bolts were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens. Truly a heart-breaking way to end what was other-wise a remarkably encouraging season for Jon Cooper and company. 

Of the many bright spots for the Lightning a year ago, by far the most important was the emergence of goalie Ben Bishop. He enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in his first season with the Bolts, posting a marvelous .924 save percentage, to go along with a 2.23 goals against average and five shutouts in 63 games started. Bishop was a finalist for the Vezina trophy, the award given to the top goalie in the league.

Unfortunately, a wrist injury kept Bishop from being available down the stretch and during the postseason. That was one of the most significant reasons for the Lightning's miserable demise at the end of the 2013-2014 campaign. Bishop underwent successful surgery and is ready to get back on the ice. 

Acquired by Tampa Bay in April of 2013, Bishop has asserted himself as the clear-cut #1 goalie for the Lightning. Steve Yzerman deserves an abundance of credit for spotting  Bishop in Ottawa, and obtaining him for rookie forward Cory Conacher, who enjoyed a decent amount of unsustainable success in his brief time with the Lightning. That trade completely redirected the direction of the franchise. 

As the page turns to the upcoming season, Bishop's continued success is undoubtedly critical for his team's chances. Bishop struggled through several ailments last season, and when he wasn't on the ice, the team looked lost. Back-up Anders Lindback showed flashes of greatness, but also had his fair share of struggles in very limited playing time. 

Lindback is in Dallas now, and veteran Evgeni Nabokov was brought in on a one-year contract to back-up Bishop. Nabokov should provide an experienced, stable option for the Bolts to turn to when needed. However, Tampa Bay will only live up to their lofty expectations if Bishop remains healthy and gets the lion's share of the playing time. 

Standing at 6' 7" and weighing in at 214 pounds, Bishop has the ideal physique for an NHL netminder. His enormous frame gives opponents little space to attempt to slide the puck past him. Don't be mistaken, the big man is also very athletic, as he showed on many occasions last season. Near-impossible saves seemed to become almost routine for Bishop throughout his sensational first full season with the Bolts.

Although he should absolutely receive the bulk of the starts in net, it's important for Bishop to get regularly scheduled off-days. It seemed apparent that Bishop was beginning to wear down before his injury at the end of the year. Jon Cooper may have been guilty of overworking his star goalie a bit, and it showed. The Bolts need Bishop at full strength for a potential playoff run, should they make it that far.

It's no secret that the Tampa Bay Lightning are stacked. Their young talent is vast, and if everything goes as planned, this team could be looking at a lengthy, dynastic-type run. Yes, we said it. Yzerman and company have built a sound hockey club, but it all starts with the goaltender. A motivated Ben Bishop should suffice, and will make the Bolts a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference.

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About the author
Austin Burnett
Austin is an sports broadcaster/journalist with an immense passion for baseball, and especially the Tampa Bay Rays. He also loves hockey and football.