Time comes for us all, and, as good as Jordan Binnington showed he can still be, the clock is ticking on his NHL career. Binnington has one year left on his current contract and will be 32 when it expires, and it would be foolish to sign him to an expensive, long-term deal at that point.
Meanwhile, Joel Hofer--still a restricted free agent without his next contract at the time of writing--needs to show he can be "the guy" as Binnington enters the twilight of his career. Here are three reasons they should be getting a fifty-fifty split during the 2025-26 season.
Keeping Binnington fresh for another playoff run
The St. Louis Blues showed they were for real this year, going on a scorching run to the playoffs and nearly beating the President's Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in the first round. Binnington's strong showing at Four Nations, followed by his end-of-season run and playoff performance, showed he can still handle the big games.
However, he's getting older, and running him into the ground during the regular season could spell disaster for the playoffs if he's out of gas or--worse--injured. Hofer can share the load during the regular season, leaving Binnington well-rested for another playoff appearance.
Can Hofer handle being a starter?
A true workhorse starting goaltender is a rare commodity these days; there are maybe three in the league, and they are perennial Vezina contenders. Goalies just don't start 60-plus games regularly anymore, as the position has become more taxing over the years. However, even as the league moves toward 1A/1B tandems, those 1A goalies should be counted on to play at least 50 games during the regular season.
Hofer, in the two most recent seasons, has played 30 and 31 games--right in line with expectations for a 1B tandem goaltender. It's important to note that Hofer, who will be 25 when next season begins, is on the younger side to be taking on a 1A role, as goalies generally hit their prime around 27/28 years old. Still, Hofer should be given the opportunity to show he can be "the guy" moving forward, and the last year of Binnington's contract is a perfect time for Hofer to show he can handle an increased workload. An even number of starts is the best way to do it.
And if Hofer isn't the guy...
In the worst-case scenario, the 2025-26 season shows us that maybe Hofer can't (or isn't ready) to take over a 1A role in the 2026-27 season. In that scenario, the Blues are left with a couple of options: re-sign Binnington to a (hopefully) team-friendly-ish deal, or they're forced to go out and get a new goaltender.
There's only one way to find out if Hofer is for real, and that's to play him--and play him a lot, as he's insulated by Binnington for at least one more season. The Blues should be giving them an even split of starts while they can, because they need this season to figure out how to handle their goaltending next summer.