THN.com/podcast. From THN American Pipeline: Massive Weekends and Blues Prospects Jordan Binnington [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwMzMxNjUzNDMwODQ2NTcy/usatsi_20327052_168400847_lowres.jpg] Jordan Binnington The NHL’s off-season continues, as does this ongoing THN.com series, in which we’re analyzing the different pressures felt by the league’s players, coaches, GMs and team owners. In the continuing series, we’ve been looking at NHL teams in alphabetical order, pointing out one player, coach, team owner or GM as a person on the hot seat, facing intense pressure to produce better-than-average results this coming season or land in the organization’s doghouse. A second person will go on the warm seat as an individual unlikely to be fired or traded anytime soon but who could be dealt sometime in the next year. A third individual will be put on the cold seat as someone highly likely to stay with their team for the foreseeable future. BLUES’ HOT SEAT: JORDAN BINNINGTON, G The Blues missed the playoffs in 2022-23 by 14 standings points. One of the reasons why is the subpar play of starting goalie Binnington. The 30-year-old made a career-high 61 appearances last season and, aside from his one appearance in 2015-16, posted a career-worst 3.31 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. Considering Binnington’s salary cap hit of $6 million, he needed to perform far better than that. Binnington is entering Year 3 of his current contract, and his understudy in net is currently 23-year-old rookie Joel Hofer, who has exactly eight games of NHL experience. For that reason, we can see Blues GM Doug Armstrong acquiring netminding help, either before training camp or during the season. A veteran like new Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones could be waived by the Leafs and picked off the waiver wire by St. Louis. The only problem there is the Blues are essentially capped out, with only $322,738 in cap space at the moment. Thus, claiming Jones would necessitate another roster move, but given how important the position is to St. Louis’ chances to contend for a post-season berth, Armstrong could prioritize adding another netminder as soon as possible. Now, that potential problem could be addressed by Binnington himself. If he can rebound and not be a hot head as he’s been in recent years, the Blues can lean on him and their rejigged roster to push them up the pecking order in the Central Division. But if Binnington puts in another disappointing season, Armstrong will have no choice but to have difficult discussions about Binnington’s future in St. Louis. Binnington does have a no-trade clause in his contract, per PuckPedia [https://puckpedia.com/player/jordan-binnington], but at his pay rate, no team will take him on unless the Blues retain a good portion of his deal. BLUES’ WARM SEAT: JAKUB VRANA, LW/RW Vrana has gone through some personal issues in recent years, and last season, the Detroit Red Wings traded the 27-year-old Czechia native to St. Louis. But once Vrana arrived as a member of the Blues, he looked like a different player altogether, generating 10 goals and 14 points in 20 games. That made his $5.25-million cap hit much more palatable for Armstrong. As he enters the final season of his contract, Vrana can assure himself of a similar payday – from the Blues or another team – when he becomes a UFA next summer. Vrana is likely to play wing on St. Louis’ second or third line in 2023-24. If he can continue to rejuvenate his career as a Blue, he’s going to help the team become a legitimate contender. If not, another change in employer, as well as a cut in pay, could be on the horizon for him. He’s still got some landing strip in front of him thanks to his play as a Blue last season, but make no mistake – he’s in a show-me, don’t-tell-me stage of his career. Producing offense will assure him of remaining in Missouri beyond this season; failing to produce offense will almost assuredly end his time with St. Louis. BLUES’ COLD SEAT: DOUG ARMSTRONG, GM Armstrong is an accomplished, multi-time Cup winner with a great deal of cachet as an NHL team-builder. When the Leafs parted ways with GM Kyle Dubas this past spring, Armstrong’s name was floated out as a potential replacement. However, Armstrong has it good in St. Louis, and he’s been treated very well by Blues ownership, so there was no great reason for him to engineer a departure to any other team. Armstrong did well last season to unload Blues veterans Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko for draft picks and prospects, and he strengthened the team by acquiring Vrana and former Flyers mainstay Kevin Hayes. Armstrong has also assembled an elite defense corps, and although the Blues aren’t likely to be a front-runner for a top spot in the Central, they’re definitely going to be in the mix for a lower playoff seed. But even if they miss the post-season, Armstrong’s job is secure. He’s delivered a Cup winner not long ago, and betting against him doing so again is a fool’s choice.
