Jordan Binnington is rolling right now for the St. Louis Blues, and it might be time to pass the torch
Jordan Binnington has been waiting patiently for his chance at the NHL level. At just 25 years old, Binnington already has six years of professional experience under his belt, and seems to get even better with every passing season.
Now, with the St. Louis Blues goaltending situation wide open, Binnington is taking over.
The Blues’ Goaltending Carousel
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Looking back at the last 10 years, the Blues may have had the best goaltending depth in the NHL. During the Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak era, plenty of youths, including Jake Allen, were waiting for their shot to join the NHL.
Allen took over as a part of their dual-style goaltending once the dynamic duo of Halak and Elliott came to an end. Halak was dealt to the Washington Capitals (via the Buffalo Sabres) during the 2013-14 campaign. Meanwhile, Elliott lasted till 2015-16 before trying his luck with the Calgary Flames.
Instead of calling up another prospect, the Blues signed Carter Hutton in 2016 to compliment Allen. Hutton performed very well in St. Louis but decided to go where opportunity called. He was signed during the offseason to serve as the number one goalie for the Buffalo Sabres.
With Allen the clear starter and no current back-up, this left a gaping hole in the Blues’ goaltending situation. Once again, instead of taking a chance on a prospect, the Blues signed another veteran in Chad Johnson. Needless to say, the Blues have fallen far from where they once were in terms of goaltending solidarity, but the time has come for drastic change.
The New Era in St. Louis
Allen, Pheonix Copley, Ville Husso, and Binnington were all highly-touted prospects who were improving with every season. Allen, the oldest of the group, was the first to get the call and did well with his opportunity. Now 28 years old, he does not look like his former self, and the Blues are searching for other options in net.
Continuing their relationship with the Capitals, Copley was traded in back-and-forth deals between 2015 and 2017. Initially, the Capitals acquired T.J. Oshie by shipping off Copley and Troy Brouwer. Less than two years later, the Caps traded back for Copley and Kevin Shattenkirk in exchange for Zach Sanford, Brad Malone, a 2017 first round pick and a 2019 conditional 2nd.
Moving Copley gave the Blues a chance to add skating depth, since they did not need goalies at the time. While it did not help them go all the way, they were one of the better teams in the NHL over the last half decade and did what they could to try and maintain that success. Unfortunately, they missed the playoffs last season and sit second last in the Central Division this year.
Between Husso and Binnington, Binnington has shown a lot more promise in North America. Husso made a name for himself as a young pro in Finland, along with strong performances at several international major junior tournaments.
He was a star for Finland, and it looked like the Blues got another steal in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Binnington, however, came out of the OHL and shined at every pro level. Not only did he end his junior career as the OHL’s best goalie, but he went on to succeed in the ECHL and the AHL immediately as a teenager.
Most recently, Binnington was named to the AHL All-Star Game last season, and took the reigns of the San Antonio Rampage this season before getting the call. When you compare the recent stats between both goalies, it is clear Binnington was the right choice for the Blues’ immediate future. He is not only skilled, but has shown the mental toughness and poise of a grizzled veteran.
Binnington has played five games so far in 2018-19, starting three, and maintains a 1.45 goals against average with a 0.941 save percentage. Most importantly, he is helping the Blues win. When comparing these numbers with Allen or Johnson this year, you would think Binnington is playing for a totally different team. The Blues sit just four points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot, and may have found the answer in goal to help them get over that mountain.