Stanley Cup winning goalie has one year remaining on contract, but with emergence of Joel Hofer, 32-year-old could seek change
ST. LOUIS -- As the clock ticked down on the final home game of the 2025-26 regular season for the St. Louis Blues, one has to ask if it also wound down for the final game of Jordan Binnington's career in St. Louis.
From the moment he stepped onto the ice for the first time in competition on Jan. 7, 2019 that turned into a magical journey to the franchise's first Stanley Cup that same season to game No. 81 on the schedule in 2026, one game away from the end of a disappointing season for sure, for the team and player individually, Binnington left the ice a winner in that first game, and fittingly, he left a winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins, 7-5.
"I think it's almost a perfect game for me," Binnington said after making 18 saves. "It was a struggle, we were down and I stayed in the fight. The boys responded after the first intermission chat and came out on top."
Binnington, 32, has come out on top more often in his eight seasons with the Blues, ranking right up there with fellow Blues great goalies in statistical categories. And even though he has one year remaining on the six-year, $36 million contract he signed on March 11, 2021, the emergence of Joel Hofer (11-2-2, 1.98 goals-against average, .936 save percentage since the Olympic break; 23-13-5, 2.60 GAA, .910 save percentage on the season) turning the duties into pretty much an even split, although Hofer got the majority of the games from the Olympic break on, and Binnington's subpar numbers (13-20-7, 3.33 GAA, .873 save percentage and last in the league according to Moneypuck.com in goals saved above expected among eligible goalies at -22.4) this season, raises into question whether the team will entertain trading Team Canada's starting goalie in the Winter Olympics and 4 Nations Face-Off to give him another opportunity to be a starter elsewhere, and if that's what the player wants.
Binnington is 5-3-1 with a 2.25 GAA and .907 save percentage since the Olympic break.
"That's the mystery and the beautiful thing in life," Binnington said. "You don't really know what's coming. It's just doing the day to day and seeing where it takes you, and for me, looking in the mirror after this year, I've got to elevate my process. I want to be better and I have the will to be better. That's what's in my control and that's my focus."
Binnington could be very well playing out the same story that played out seven years ago, when a young, emerging goalie (Binnington) unseated Jake Allen, and Allen -- albeit wanting to be a competitor and playing the games -- graciously stepped aside and accepted his role in a backup role before he was traded in 2020 to the Montreal Canadiens.
"I think Binnington's been exemplary in his leadership and his commitment to trying to push himself and Joel Hofer to be the best version of themselves, and I think the way he's handled everything throughout the whole year, it's incredible how professional he is and how great he is around his teammates and in the locker room," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "He is extremely competitive, but he is also very cognizant of the benefit of the value for the team. That's why I say he has been absolutely incredible."
And in his usual spot in goal announced as the starting goalie on Tuesday, Binnington received -- as usual -- the loudest cheer. Unlike the perception he gets outside the St. Louis region, Blues fans always have and always will show their appreciation for who will go down as the first goalie in franchise history to raise the Cup.
"The fans are a big part of our game and our energy and our success," Binnington said. "People have been amazing to me over the years, especially this year when things haven't really gone as planned. I can't say enough good things about that, just the people in the community here. I appreciate the love."
Binnington, who is 186-136-43 with a 2.82 GAA and .903 save percentage in 377 regular-season games with the Blues, and Oskar Sundqvist, another Cup champ who also was in the starting lineup Tuesday who could have perhaps played his final game in St. Louis, are part of the older wave now setting the example for the next generation of Blues, who have seen firsthand what those players have meant to the organization and the path they've paved.
It's uncertain if Jordan Binnington (50) played his final game with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. (Connor Hamilton-Imagn Images) "Put [Colton] Parayko in that mix too, just what everything those three have done, 'Tommer,' all the older guys, what 'Schenner' did, [Justin] Faulk, literally everyone, what they do for the community, what they do for us, it's a tight-knit little group, you can say," Blues rookie Jimmy Snuggerud said. "The fans here, around the city, how nice they are and what they do for us. It's honestly incredible. I've never really experienced anything truly like that. A little bit at Minnesota for sure, but it's a whole new level of energy every single night and really fortunate to have that opportunity."
Questions surrounding Binnington and others will be addressed in an off-season that is likely to carve the path for the near- and long-term future of the organization. But if the Blues and Binnington do part ways, the Blues have to ask themselves do they have a backup in the organization under Hofer or do they feel they need to go out and bring an experienced backup on. Or do they run it back with this reliable tandem and let the chips fall where they may. Time will tell.
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