It wasn't just the Texas lifestyle that drew free agents to the Dallas Stars.
So too did Ben Bishop, the Stars' new netminder who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings earlier this offseason and later signed a six-year extension with his new club.
"When we were talking to all of these free agents during the interview period, (Ben's) name always came up," Stars general manager Jim Nill told "NHL Tonight" on Wednesday. "He's a quality guy. He's got a great resume and I think that's a big part in what enticed a lot of these players to want to join us."
The veteran goaltender split last season between the Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning, where in recent seasons he established himself as one of the NHL's top netminders. In 2015-16, he appeared in 61 games, producing 35 wins and a .926 save percentage to finish as a Vezina Trophy finalist.
The Stars hope Bishop can replicate that play in his new surroundings. It's undoubtedly a big upgrade for Dallas, which struggled to keep pucks out of its own net last season, as the tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi owned an NHL-worst combined save percentage of .893.
Niemi has since moved on, with the Stars buying out the final year of his contract, leaving Lehtonen to hold down the second-string duties behind Bishop.
Dallas has talents like Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and John Klingberg, but it's Bishop's addition in the crease which Nill believes was the catalyst for Dallas' offseason makeover.
"Ben was a big pickup for us," Nill added. "He was probably the one that started this turnaround for us this signing season. We made the trade for him and he showed the commitment to want to be here."
In addition to Bishop, the Stars also dipped into free agency to add shutdown center Martin Hanzal on a three-year deal, while former Montreal Canadiens winger Alexander Radulov was recruited on a five-year pact. The possibility exists he could complete one of the league's most intriguing trios with Seguin and Benn.
After finishing with just 79 points last season, the potential exists for a big bounce-back in Dallas, with Bishop sure to play a major role in the upswing.
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