The St. Louis Blues rumor mill has gradually been kicking into high gear. One of the names most floated around is goaltender Jordan Binnington. Binnington’s struggles this season have been well-documented. So, it’s no wonder the chatter surrounding a Binnington trade is at an all-time high.
On the flipside of the equation, the team that has been the most desperate for goaltending is the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have been linked to just about every goalie in the NHL. And, no surprise to anyone, Binnington has been a name floated in a potential Oilers trade.
But one notable insider put the kibosh on those rumors.
Insider Chris Johnston slammed the talk of Binnington going to the Oilers during his November 27 appearance on the Chris Johnston Show. During the show, he stated the following:
“A team like the Oilers has to be looking at all their options; I had someone suggest to me...they don't think the Oilers and Blues could make that kind of trade given the recent history with the offer sheets.”
All right, so plenty to unpack here. First, we all know the Oilers are turning over stones to see which goalies they can target. The talk has been that some may be available, but they will cost an arm and a leg. And even if the Oilers were willing to give in to highway robbery, they just don’t have the assets to pull off a deal.
Second, the offer sheets to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg crossed an imaginary line that GMs honor as part of a gentlemen’s agreement. While no one really took exception to the Blues’ double offer sheet in the summer of 2024, the Oilers were left with a bad taste in their mouth.
Third, the Blues paid the corresponding compensation for prying Broberg and Holloway. That compensation was a second and third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. So, you would have to think that any bad blood would likely be on the Oilers’ side, not the Blues’.
Never say never to Blues-Oilers trade
It’s worth pointing out that you should never say never. Things can turn on a dime, significantly changing the dynamic surrounding a team’s situation.
As such, the Oilers could descend into a position where they’re willing to do anything to salvage their chance for the Stanley Cup. By the same token, the Blues could get into circumstances where they just raise their arms and push the button.
If that were the case, the Blues would move Binnington to the highest bidder. If that bidder happens to be Edmonton, so be it. But the fact is that trading Binnington seems like a last resort scenario for the Blues. A team would have to knock the socks off Doug Armstrong for it to happen.
That’s why, hard feelings notwithstanding, a Blues-Oilers deal involving Binnington will not happen. The Blues aren’t really keen on moving him. The Oilers, meanwhile, don’t have the assets to really entice the Blues.