St. Louis Blues netminder entered Thursday night’s preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks in a type of make-or-break situation.
And the veteran netminder delivered.
Binnington earned the clean sheet behind a Blues team that played a solid game against a largely undisciplined Blackhawks squad.
St. Louis pulled out a 1-0 win, with Binnington backstopping the team with 16 saves.
The performance was huge, as a disappointing showing would have all but buried his chances of being the starting goaltender this season. Instead, the 33-year-old had a great showing, proving that he still has what it takes to be the sort of goalie a playoff contender needs.
Granted, Binnington didn’t face a ton of shots against Chicago. But then again, that’s what it’s all about. A good goalie, playing behind a solid team, should have these sorts of results. And that’s precisely what the Blues did. They played a solid, all-around effort, making the Blackhawks’ AHL guys pretty much look like AHLers.
It’s worth noting that the Blues would have blown out Chicago if it hadn’t been for Arvid Soderblom. But that’s beside the point.
What matters in this discussion is that Binnington looked a lot like his usual self. If the former third-round pick channels his vintage self, well, it’s going to be bad news for the rest of the NHL.
Blues need Binnington to be his best this season
A vintage Jordan Binnington and an emerging Joel Hofer could very well become the NHL’s best story this season. Such a tandem could easily become the league’s best.
And the idea of the Blues playing with that sort of goaltending, you would have to think that the team’s confidence would just shoot through the roof.
It’s not hard to see why. Good goaltenders inject seemingly irrational confidence in a team, to the point where they believe they can win games they shouldn’t.
That’s what having a solid Binnington in the crease provides St. Louis.
Indeed, Binnington proved he’s still got it. Thursday night’s game could have become his obituary had he blown the game. But that was not the case. Binnington, if anything, just boosted his stock to where it needs to be.
Lastly, it’s important to keep expectations grounded. Binnington just proved that he still has it. From that to a Stanley Cup this season, well, that’s a different story. But as I’ve said before, the Blues are one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL. They have a young team sprinkled with talented veterans. Binnington is one of them.
As long as the team can remain consistent, they could punch a ticket to the playoffs.
That’s where Binnington could become the difference between a quick out and long run.
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