Best hockey player from each state

Jan 26, 2014; New York City, NY, USA; NHL former player Jeremy Roenick skates with youngsters on a miniature rink before the Stadium Series hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Colorado – Ben Bishop

The state of Colorado only got an NHL team fairly recently, as the Colorado Avalanche arrived back in 1995. They also won a Stanley Cup the same season. This has helped hockey grow in Colorado, but it has only 13 NHL players on its resume. Its leading scorer is Mike Eaves, but he played in the 1980’s when pretty much everybody scored. So their best hockey player is Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bishop holds the distinction of being the tallest NHL goalie of all-time at 6’7″. When you look at him, you wonder if he even has a torso because his arms and legs are so long. Bishop loves to use his lanky frame to his advantage, as he’s a very athletic and quick goalie. Ironically, his long limbs might also be the cause of his repeated injuries. But when he’s healthy, Bishop is one of the best goalies in the NHL.

His road to stardom hasn’t been straight. Bishop started off with the St. Louis Blues before being traded to the Ottawa Senators. He never did well with them, so he got traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the Lightning, Bishop has emerged as one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders. He has a career save percentage of .920.

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