A major part of the trade talk surrounding the St. Louis Blues has been Jordan Binnington. The veteran netminder’s rough season has called into question his viability as an NHL-level starting netminder, while also undermining his trade value.
Then, serious questions emerged when Team Canada named Binnington to its Olympic roster. The plan was simple. Throw Binnington in the crease. If he struggled, one of the other two high-end goalies would take over.
But that hasn’t been the case. While Binnington hasn’t exactly been lights-out, he’s been good enough to lead Team Canada to the gold-medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
And it’s precisely that effort that’s now got Binnington’s trade value shooting through the roof. If that assertion seems implausible, think of how some stocks get hot for seemingly no reason.
A stock’s valuation can go exponential when the company posts record profits. Perhaps that company unveiled a cool new gadget that everyone is going ga-ga over. Sometimes, it isn’t even record profits or cool gadgets. It’s an industry that gets so hot, that two or three major players drag the rest of the stocks in that same sector with it.
That’s the case of Binnington. He’s an underperforming stock that’s getting caught up in the hype of a growing industry. That industry is Team Canada. The team’s collective success has helped Binnington look better than he otherwise would have.
Imagine if the Canadian squad had to rely on Binnington to steal games for them. In that situation, Team Canada would not have likely made it to the gold-medal match. Even if Canada loses in the final game, Binnington’s value would be much higher than it was going into the Olympics. If the Blues really wanted to trade him, the asking price would be exorbitant.
Binnington has been big when needed during Olympics
The trend surrounding Binnington has been his shaky starts. In the last two Team Canada games, Binnington has looked unreliable in the first period. Once Canada gradually takes over the game, Binnington seems to settle down.
Although it’s worth pointing out that Binnington has made several key saves when his team has needed it the most. In Friday’s semi-final game, the Blues starter was forced to make two solid saves down the stretch. He kept Canada in the game long enough to come back and win.
That’s the unique selling point that makes Binnington attractive to potential suitors. Teams with designs of competing in the Stanley Cup Final can envision Binnington turning up the heat, making crucial saves late in the third period or in overtime.
No, Jordan Binnington isn’t going to single-handedly win anyone a Cup. But in a solid defensive team, Binnington could be the difference between going home or winning a championship.