Binnington On Oilers Trade Radar?: Not So Fast

There’s trade chatter around Jordan Binnington again, and the Edmonton Oilers were somehow mentioned as a possible landing spot. According to Elliotte Friedman, though, that link may have been a bit presumptuous.

On Saturday’s Headlines report, Friedman said Binnington’s name is back in the rumor mill. He didn’t connect the Oilers to the goaltender. That was guest panelist Erik Johnson, who said Edmonton should do whatever it takes to land Binnington or someone in the same tier, like Juuse Saros.

Choosing not to get into that night, Friedman waited for his 32 Thoughts podcast on Monday to clear things up. 

Binnington appears to have lost the starting job to Joel Hofer in St. Louis. In five games this season, he has a 4.27 goals-against average and an .851 save percentage. Those numbers won’t entice many buyers. He is also a UFA with a 10-team no-trade list, which will shape where he can realistically land.

Still, his resume includes big wins on huge stages, and Friedman cited his international play as a reason not to rule him out. Friedman explained:

“The one thing about Binnington is, he’s proven the last couple of years, regardless of how you feel about his regular season, you put him in an elevated situation, like the 4 Nations, like the Olympics, he still has an extremely high level. Like, if I was a good team, I’ve seen the way he’s played in those tournaments the last two years, I’m trusting him. I’m putting him in these games.”

He added:

“So I just think he’s going to be a guy to watch over the next few months, cuz, you know, now he needs a new contract, and Hofer kind of won the job. You could see where, you know, someone like him might appreciate the chance to go somewhere else and try to win a job. You know, Eric said Edmonton. I don’t think, right now, Edmonton’s looking at it. I think, the way Levi’s played this year, and he won again on Saturday night, and, you know, Jarry has been pretty good so far this season. I don’t know that I’ve been rushing to make that move, but, we’ll see.”

Friedman isn’t closing the door completely, but the Oilers have no urgency here. Devon Levi has been strong, Tristan Jarry is bouncing back, and Frederik Andersen is working his way back from injury. With that group, the Oilers have no reason to rush for a goaltender who costs over $5 million and has played well internationally but poorly almost everywhere else.

Johnson may simply have been assuming Edmonton needed help in net. That's last year's news. 

Obviously, things could change. Injuries, poor play, or another trade could create a scenario where Binnington (or another goalie) might look more attractive. For now, the Oilers crease is crowded, and it's crowded with goaltenders playing well. 

Edmonton isn't chasing down and spending assets on a netminder who is worse than their internal options. 

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