Last year, the St. Louis Blues spent half the season with the worst goaltending tandem in the entire NHL. If it hadn't been for the heroics of Joel Hofer after the 2026 Winter Olympic break, the Blues would've had a legitimate chance at the first-overall pick at the draft a couple of months back. To really put a bow on how bad it was: Hofer finished the season with 11.7 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx), per Money Puck, while Jordan Binnington's league-worst minus-22.4 GSAx gave the tandem a minus-10.7 GSAx on the season.
That was last season, though; the 2026-27 season is nearly here. Let's look at two big questions for each of the Blues' netminders.
Can Joel Hofer establish himself as a starting goaltender?
With the way that Hofer finished last season, he should be the starter for the Blues moving forward--and he'll get a tough first week to prove he's capable of the role. Being a starting goalie in the NHL is no easy task, though, especially with the season increasing from 82 to 84 games.
Hofer should be up to the task, and it's not just the Blues who think so. He's entering the typical prime for goaltenders, and it's a contract year for him; this is the perfect opportunity to show he can be the guy for a post-Binnington Blues. Speaking of Binnington...
Will this be Jordan Binnington's final season in St. Louis?
It's the final year of Binnington's contract and, if last season's play is the new normal for the veteran, this could be his swan song in St. Louis. The 33-year-old is likely entering the twilight of his career, and the Blues may need a steadier, younger backup for Hofer in the future.
There's also the chance the Blues are bad this year, and Binnington becomes a hot commodity at the trade deadline. He may not be able to play as he did in his youth, but Binnington was darn good for Team Canada in Milan as the country's starter, and has shown many times that he can rise to the occasion in high-pressure games. That's a valuable asset for a team dealing with uncertainty in goal while trying to go on a Stanley Cup run.
Hofer may be the presumptive starter heading into training camp, but Binnington's a fiery competitor who won't roll over and let Hofer take the net without a fight. We'll see who wins out in a few weeks.
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