In terms of how long a professional hockey career can be, Jordan Binnington has been with the St. Louis Blues for a few cups of coffee. He arrived for good in January of 2019 and has not quite been here three years yet.
Despite this relatively short amount of time, Binnington has been quick to pick up on team history. One of his 2021-22 masks showcases this fact.
For the third season in a row, Binnington is showcasing team history on his mask. For the second season in three, Binnington is taking a page out of one of his predecessor’s books. The last one was only featured a handful of times, but this time around we should get to see it more often.
The 2021-22 Binnington mask will feature a winding piano keyboard along the sides. For those who do not remember, that was the look sported by Grant Fuhr when he started with the Blues in 1995-96.
As you can see, the Bluenote is featured prominently on the forehead. Then, the keys flow down along the sides.
Fuhr had a couple different renditions on this. One had the red and yellow stripes that everyone hates on the jerseys so much, but it fit at the time.
Another one put the keys on the forehad portion more. However, the piano keys featured in just about all of Fuhr’s Blues masks.
Binnington has gone that direction with his new lid. While not a direct copy, it’s a fantastic homage
For Binnington’s, the Bluenote is much larger. Both masks feature that kind of metallic blue that has an outerspace feel to it.
Binnington’s mask has a more three-dimensional look though. The Bluenote on Fuhr’s mask was a little more flat, while Binnington’s has that bubble style that.
Both masks share the piano keys along the ears. Fuhr’s stood out just a tiny bit more due to the darkness of the blue, but both looks are classic.
The JB on the chin is now Binnington’s signature since he’s used it two seasons in a row. He had a mask with the number 50 on it, but this seems to suit him better.
This mask comes on the heels of Binnington’s CuJo mask, worn back in the Fall of 2019. That was when the Blues were wearing their 1990’s retro-style jerseys, so it fit in quite well.
There is no indication of the Blues wearing those again, though it cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, Fuhr wore a keyboard mask with the newer style of jersey that is more similar to what the Blues wear now, so it still fits.
When you include Binnington’s 2021 mask, which featured the trumpet logo on the ears, it showcases his (or his artist’s) knowledge of the team’s history. It’s another fine addition to the recent history of Blues masks.
Really, the last five or more seasons, there have not been too many misses for the Blues’ goaltenders. The only questionable one was that odd silvery thing that Jake Allen wore simply because he didn’t have luck with his snake masks.
Let’s hope Binnington has good luck with this mask.