The St. Louis Blues have established themselves as a serious contender in the Western Conference. One of the reasons is because of their impeccable goaltending duo, who will be heavily relied on this season.
For all intents and purposes, it is still Jordan Binnington's show. No matter what backup Joel Hofer does, there is very little reason to believe that the roles for these two will switch. But, for the 2025-26 season, the gap in starts might be slimmer than it has been.
But, how much of a split will it be this upcoming season? Is there a pre-determined number for both goalies, or will Head Coach Jim Montgomery play it game-to-game?
Goaltending split?
In 2024-25, Binnington had 54 starts. That left Hofer to cover the remaining 28 games, in which he did wonderfully. With a brand new contract in hand, expect Hofer to have a significant amount more this upcoming year.
What that could look like is a potential 46/36 split. But that is entirely up to how Binnington does in net throughout the year. But, at max, Binnigton should be on the hook for 46 starts this upcoming season, and giving Hofer eight more chances than he did last season.
The Blues can benefit from this, as it gives each goaltender fresher legs all season long. Additionally, it also gives a little look into the future of this organization. Binnington will not be able to be the starting goaltender forever, and eventually someone will take up his mantle. Can Hofer be the guy to succeed the most winningest goalie in franchise history?
There is a sense that this upcoming season can be the answer to that question. If Hofer can earn the trust of getting more and more starts, and put up similar numbers as he did last season at 16-8-3, he can be the goaltender of the next generation.