Lightning's Ben Bishop: Expected to return mid-January

Bishop (lower body) could be cleared for the team's three-game California road trip that kicks off Jan. 16, Erik Erlendsson of LightningInsider.com reports.

Analysis:

This timeline would rule Bishop out for Tampa Bay's next five outings, pushing his total absence to 11 games. With backup Andrei Vasilevskiy showing signs of his inexperience, Bishop's return likely can't come soon enough for fans and fantasy owners alike.