The early-season inconsistencies have continued for the Blues after another division loss to the Nashville Predators Saturday night, 5-2. While the blame game can be pointed at just about every player or unit that took the ice, the biggest concern may be Jordan Binnington's continued poor play. In the loss to Nashville, Binnington fell to 1-2 on the season with a 4.68 goals-against average (GAA) and an abysmal .831 save percentage. Whether the play in front of him has been up to Blues standards or not, those numbers aren't good enough for the Blues to keep relying on him for a third of the season.
Blues fans' sentiment toward Binnington is sentimental. He led the franchise to its first-ever Stanley Cup in 2019 and will go down as the franchise's greatest goaltender. That said, the last few seasons haven't gone well, with Binnington losing the starter's net to Joel Hofer and failing to post a save percentage above .880 in each of the last two seasons. Trade speculation has heated up around the Blues now that Binnington has only this season left on his contract before he becomes a free agent. Several teams have reportedly shown interest in Binnington, but the Blues may be better off dealing him sooner rather than later to save their season and maximize trade value.
Goaltending plan collapsing
Heading into the season, General Manager Alexander Steen and head coach Jim Montgomery anticipated a two-headed monster between the pipes. Expectations were that Hofer would carry a heavier workload, playing 50 to 55 games, while Binnington would play the remaining 30, creating enough of a split for Hofer to remain the starter without getting overworked for a potential playoff push. So far this season, Hofer has held up his end of the bargain with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in five starts, while the aforementioned Binnington ranks fifth-worst among qualified goalies with a -5.0 goals saved above expected.
The play in front of both goaltenders hasn't been good, so this doesn't all fall on Binnington's shoulders. The team's power play is virtually nonexistent, scoring only four goals while consistently giving up short-handed chances, and the team has lacked the physical edge it was expected to bring this season to impose its will on opponents. That said, the goals Binnington has allowed are saveable, with several being small, fluttery taps he has been in position to stop.
Trade incoming?
Trade rumors have swirled around Binnington for the last several seasons, but with one year left on his contract and the Blues' new franchise goaltender in Hofer, the time to deal him has never been better. Several teams could use a veteran goaltender like Binnington, and his playoff reputation and pedigree could catapult them to the next level. However, the longer the Blues hold onto Binnington and let him play this poorly, the more it will continue to tank his already diminished value. The issue with trading Binnington is: who replaces him? The Blues currently have no true NHL goaltenders behind their current tandem. After the Buffalo Sabres claimed Colten Ellis off waivers last season, Georgi Romanov is the next man up in the organization. Romanov is currently starting for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League and played only 10 career NHL games with the San Jose Sharks in 2024. Any trade the Blues make involving Binnington will require a plan to find an NHL-caliber backup for Hofer's off days.
A team like the New York Rangers, which just lost its franchise goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, and will be without backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo for another month, would make a lot of sense for Binnington to join. His expiring contract doesn't interfere with Shesterkin's long-term plans in net, and the Rangers can try to capitalize on their fast start. The Blues' best chance at a decent return is a team in goaltender turmoil, whether from injury or poor performance. They will have to start by looking for a desperate team willing to trade for Binnington, even with his poor start. Steen and the front office will have to accept that other teams don't value Binnington the way the Blues do, and a trade will likely return far fewer assets than they hoped, especially if he continues to play poorly like he has to start the season.
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