Jordan Binnington is in his age-31 season and his name’s been entwined his entire career with the St. Louis Blues. That means Binnington and the Blues are pretty much synonymous, but is his time with the team now on short notice?
If that’s the case, Binnington isn’t going out without leaving his mark, having tied the franchise record in wins recently, and there’s a 1,000 percent chance he holds that record all to himself at some point. Yeah, pretty impressive, but with the league being a business, is it really smart to keep Binnington around?
For one, his numbers this season haven’t justified it, with an 0.888 save percentage, a 3.10 GAA, and a 0.467 quality starts percentage. These are bad numbers, but you can argue the Blues also haven’t given him much help this year, as was the case last season.
Still, isn’t the mark of a good goaltender, or a great goaltender, someone who’s proven themselves capable of bailing their team out? It’s something we’ve seen much more of in Buffalo with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a youngster who’s got a stranglehold on the No. 1 spot over in the City of Good Neighbors and one who’s also dealt with some poor defense.
Retooling St. Louis Blues may be smart to shop Jordan Binnington
If Binnington were a top-five goaltender, I’d say to leave him in St. Louis unless another team came around with a pristine offer. But is Binnington justifying his worth these days, with a league-leading 48 goals allowed heading into Saturday’s games?
Further, he’s also leading the league in games played with 16, but with just seven quality starts (15 starts total), he’s also dipping in that category, having logged 33 last season. It’s looking evident that, despite chasing and most likely making history, Binnington isn’t giving the Blues much these days.
That said, he maintains a lot of value, especially for a team like the Blues division rival, the Colorado Avalanche, a team that could use another goaltender when the trade deadline nears. Binnington could be okay on a better hockey team, and there are several out there who may be willing to give up a ransom if it means winning a Cup.
Still, it goes far beyond trades, with the younger Joel Hofer offering far more potential than Binnington as someone who could factor in as a better long-term fit. If the season continues to go the way it’s had, why not start shopping around Binnington amidst what may ultimately devolve into a throwaway season by the deadline?