The NHL season is winding down, and which players are going to win end-of-season awards are beginning to come into focus. The St. Louis Blues, who are officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 33-33-12 record, won't have any contenders for the Hart Trophy for MVP or any of the scoring leader awards like the Rocket Richard or Art Ross--but there are other awards the Blues have players competing for. Colton Parayko's the Blues' nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the second straight season, but the selection for the Masterton Trophy is a little surprising: goaltender Jordan Binnington.
It's been a rough season for Jordan Binnington. Per Money Puck, no goalie in the league has been worse, as Binnington's minus-19.7 Goals Saved Above expected (GSAx) is the worst mark in the league. A solid showing in the Winter Olympics aside, Binnington's poor play this year has cost him the starter's job in St. Louis, with Joel Hofer being the clear No. 1.
However, through it all, Binnington has displayed the qualities that one would expect of a Masterton nominee, as a "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." Players who've won the Masterton since 2021 are the Philadelphia Flyers' Oskar Lindblom, Montreal Canadiens' Carey Price, Pittsburgh Penguins' Kris Letang, Utah Mammoth's Connor Ingram, and last year it was Sean Monahan in his first season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Masterton nominees are chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Binnington's future with the Blues is unclear. He has one year remaining on his contract, but he may not wish to be backup to Hofer and will want to play behind a contender in the twilight of his career. His nomination for the Masterton is a little surprising, but we can see why he's earned the honor.