The St. Louis Blues are off to a mediocre 5-5-1 start, and a major reason for that is the weak backup goaltending. Jordan Binnington has been awful this year, carrying over the poor play we saw last season. He's getting the start tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, but Binnington's 1-2-0 record, 4.68 Goals Against Average (GAA), and .831 save percentage (SV%) do not inspire much confidence. According to MoneyPuck, his minus-5 Goals Saved Above expected (GSAx) is sixth worst in the league.
He could, however, be the only viable goaltender available on the trade market.
The big trade board
Over at The Athletic, Chris Johnston posted the second iteration of his big trade board today. The usual names are at the top (Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson, etc.), but one name is no longer there: Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck was traded to the New Jersey Devils earlier this week, ending the saga that saw him suspended by the Winnipeg Jets; he'll start tonight for the first time as a Devil against the Dallas Stars. Of the 20 remaining names on the board, only one is a goaltender: Jordan Binnington, at No. 8.
It makes sense for Binnington to be on the trade block: he'll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season when his $6-million AAV contract expires. He's also still shown he can be a big-game goalie, nearly helping Team Canada to the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milan last February, but it's clear that Joel Hofer has usurped him as St. Louis's starter. While Binnington's regular-season play has certainly become a cause for concern, his reputation as a player who excels under pressure still gives him value around the league. A change of scenery could reinvigorate the 33-year old veteran.
Landing spots
Since Binnington is the only major goaltender left on the market, he should generate plenty of interest. There are at least half a dozen teams in their Stanley Cup window that desperately need an upgrade in the blue paint. In Edmonton, the Tristan Jarry experiment has been a colossal failure--and with Devon Levi and Freddie Andersen on injured reserve, they need help. The Oilers are lucky they're in such a weak Pacific Division, but their poor netminding could be catastrophic come the playoffs.
If the Blues were willing to deal to a Central Division rival, they have two options: the Utah Mammoth and the Colorado Avalanche. Karel Vejmelka has been a disappointment so far this year and is signed through 2031 at a reasonable contract--perhaps a goalie swap (along with other assets) could be a win-win trade for both teams. The Avalanche, meanwhile, are realizing their tandem of Scott Wedgewood and MacKenzie Blackwood played way above their heads last year; both have crashed back to earth, and the Avs cannot allow the season to go off the rails because of poor goaltending. Their window is now, and they have the star power to win the Cup this year.
Out east, take your pick: the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers, and Columbus Blue Jackets are all dealing with precarious goaltending situations. The Rangers signed James Reimer the other day, and Reimer got pulled in his first start (and is now day-to-day with an injury). The fit with New York is obvious: Igor Shesterkin should be back and healthy next year, so they just need a stopgap solution until then; Binnington's expiring contract makes perfect sense. The Canadiens are banking on 21-year old Jacob Fowler shouldering the load until either Jakub Dobes gets it together or Sam Montembeault is healthy.
There are plenty of teams that could see trading for Binnington as a risk worth taking, and the Blues would be wise to listen. If they do trade Binnington, they'll need to fill his role at the same time to give Hofer some help. Getting a backup or tandem goalie as part of the return, alongside solid future assets, would be outstanding business for the Blues.
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