The St. Louis Blues had a positive ending to a very modest and mediocre first half of the season. Once the 4 Nations Break occurred in mid-February, that is when things got very interesting.
This is where the Blues rattled off a franchise record 12-straight wins, and they fought their way into the playoffs via the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. One of the big reasons they had so much success was the improved performance from their most important player, goaltender Jordan Binnington.
How did he grade last season?
Expectations for 2024-25 season
As the Blues' number one goaltender, the expectation each season is for him to perform at an elite level. The end goal is to make the playoffs, and Binnington is one-half of the reason why this team can or cannot make it.
That playoff appearance plateau has alluded the Blues since the 2021-22 season, and 2024-25 was supposed to be nothing special. Binnington was entering another year into his 30s, patiently awaiting the next generation of Blues in front of him.
It was a wild season. Head coach Drew Banister was axed, and Jim Montgomery was brought in after his unexpected firing from Boston. What came next was something spectacular.
Binnington was average for most of the year. Up until the 4 Nations Faceoff, he was a roller coaster in the net with highs and lows abundant. But, after securing Team Canada a championship in the most fantastic fashion against the United States, he locked in for the Blues down the stretch.
He was a catalyst during the record-breaking run, with a 6-0 record and a .940 save percentage. Binnington finished the season with a 28-22-5 record, with three shutouts. This included his 152nd win of his career, passing Mike Liut for the most wins in Blues history.
Where does he go from here?
The Blues have a fantastic team at the moment. There is a feeling that this latest surprise playoff appearance was no fluke, and this team is for real. They bet on themselves, and most importantly, on Binnington, and they won.
For 2025-26 and beyond, the expectation is for the Blues to once again make it to the postseason. In order to do so, Binnington is going to have to have a much better first half of the year and keep the momentum for all 82 games.
Resorting to a last-second desperation heave into the playoffs will likely not work again. Binnington is going to have to be sharp from start to finish.