It was one of, if not the best, stories of the 2018-19 season. The St. Louis Blues were at rock bottom, and they appeared to have a better shot at the first-overall draft pick than a championship. Well, fast forward a few months, and the Blues are hoisting the Stanley Cup. What changed? Jordan Binnington, recalled from the minors, went on the heater of all heaters.
Binnington almost single-handedly dragged the Blues to a championship, going on a torrid 24-5-1 run and posting a .927 save percentage (SV%) from early January through the end of the regular season. He cooled off a little in those playoffs, but they don't ask how; they ask how many--and 16 wins was how many it took to win.
Since then, the Blues have floundered in most of their playoff appearances, but Binnington has been fairly consistent in the seven seasons since. He was the starter for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and, while the Canadians came up short in the gold medal game, Binnington was strong throughout the tournament.
However, this coming season--the last one of his $6-million AAV contract--could be the end of his time in St. Louis.
Imapct in 2025-26
No player on the Blues roster may've had a bigger impact on the season than Binnington--and not in a positive way.
Through 41 games (and 39 starts), Binnington finished with career-worst stats across the board: a 3.33 Goals Against Average (GAA) and an .873 SV%. According to Money Puck, his minus-22.4 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) was the worst in the NHL--regardless of number of games played. The only goalie even close to Binnington's abysmal numbers was Kevin Lankinen on the league-worst Vancouver Canucks, who managed a minus-19.3 GSAx.
If Joel Hofer hadn't turned his season around when he did, the Blues would've been way closer to a lottery selection than missing the playoffs by four points.
Expectations for 2026-27
Going into next season, the net ought to belong to Hofer. He showed he can take on a lot of starts and, at 26 years old, is on the cusp of his prime.
So where does that leave Binnington?
For now, the 33-year-old veteran should serve in a backup/1B role behind Hofer. Binnington will need to be better than last season, that's for sure, but given the success throughout his greater body of work, we can probably write last season off as a down year. He should have the skill and physical ability to still be a quality NHL backup.
Is that the role Binnington wants to play, though? He's a fierce, fiery competitor, and there are plenty of teams around the league in win-now mode that need a proven starting netminder. Unless he signs an extension with St. Louis, trade talk will surround Binnington all season--especially if the Blues struggle again.
In the short term, the Blues need Binnington to be a reliable backup, and we think he can live up to those expectations. Long term, this may be his final season in St. Louis--and if it is, what a ride it's been.
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