On Monday, Jordan Binnington stepped up big in a win against the Edmonton Oilers, and his performance may have given St. Louis Blues fans some reassurance. But one awesome game shouldn't erase Binnington's shortcomings this season, and it has tied into the Blues' 4-7-2 record this season.
Some may pin Binnington's struggles on the skaters, and that's fair. Still, you would expect more from Binnington, who is supposed to be among the better goaltenders in the league and a potential representative for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics.
Even if the Blues break down defensively, he's supposed to forge a better last line of defense, and that has been next to nonexistent so far in 2025-26. As it stands, Binnington has faced 212 shots in eight starts, averaging to just 26.5 per start. It's an ultra-low number that Binnington should, even with defensive breakdowns, have no problem handling.
As of Wednesday, he's clocking in at a 0.868 save percentage, a 3.08 GAA, a 0.500 save percentage, and four really bad starts, a metric tracked by Hockey Reference. If the Blues plan on returning to the playoffs and prove 2024-25 wasn't a fluke, their best players need to step up, and that includes Binnington, especially when he's not facing shots on goal all game long.
This nightmare is extending beyond Jordan Binnington
When a number one goaltender struggles, you ideally want to create a spark with their backup. While Joel Hofer has shown he can handle the NHL game, he's faring worse than Binnington, with a 0.829 save percentage, a 5.16 GAA, a 0.400 quality starts percentage, and three really bad starts. Mind you, Hofer has just five starts so far. Also like Binnington, Hofer isn't facing an incredible number of shots, clocking in at just 23.4 per game.
This nightmare will intensify if the Buffalo Sabres hold onto former Blues goaltender Colten Ellis, who looked stellar in his NHL debut vs. the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 22, posting 29 saves and a 0.935 save percentage. Ellis was with the Blues in training camp, but was naturally the odd man out at goaltender because Binnington and Hofer were so successful in 2024-25.
The Blues didn't want to waste a lineup spot with a third goaltender, so they had no choice but to put Ellis on waivers, leading to his stint with Buffalo. Should Binnington keep struggling as the number one and if Hofer continues playing like someone who belongs in the AHL, fans will be left to wonder what might have been if the Sabres hang on to Ellis.
Will the nightmare ever end?
Binnington showed encouraging signs in that win over the Oilers on Nov. 3 when he made 24 saves on 26 shots. But the question is whether he can keep this up. Across his five appearances before the Oilers game, Binnington allowed 17 goals on 110 shots, good for just a 0.845 save percentage.
He's going to need to put up a good three or four solid performances to keep the fanbase optimistic that he can still be the clear-cut number one for this franchise. If there's encouraging news, it's that we know how hot Binnington can get when he's on. Following the 4 Nations Face-Off last season, Binnington returned and posted a 0.910 save percentage, making 376 saves on 413 shots.
Should Binnington keep playing inconsistent hockey, and if Joel Hofer keeps struggling behind him, then this nightmare scenario has no end in sight. Hopefully, the stellar outing in Edmonton was a wake-up call and not a one-off. Blues fans know Binnington has bounced back in the past, so they can still be cautiously optimistic with the season still in its early stages.