The 4 Nations Face-Off NHL in-season tournament is set to take place in February 2025. Canada, USA, Sweden, and Finland will announce their first six roster players for the event on June 28.
St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong has been tasked once again to build a roster of the best Canadian players in the world for international competition. This time around, he can have his pick on the NHL’s best players, and not have to worry about those still playing like he did when crafting Canada’s roster for the most recent IIHF Men’s World Championship.
Knowing how important the goaltending position is in hockey, we can expect to hear the other three nations announce a goalie as one of their first six players, considering their nation’s strength in that position.
But what about Canada? Is Jordan Binnington a lock to be named to Canada’s roster on the 28th?
Will we see Armstrong trust the goalie he knows all too well and who aided in bringing the franchise’s first Stanley Cup? Or after a somewhat shaky performance in the crease at the World Championship, will he wait to see how the season plays out?
Binnington has a proven track record of shining in big moments. Of course, he was a massive factor in the Blues’ Stanley Cup win in 2019, and there is a good chance that the team wouldn’t have made the playoffs without his 24-5-1 record and .927 save percentage in the regular season.
But also, the Richmond Hill, Ontario native as a 17-year-old was voted the CHL’s Memorial Cup tournament’s most outstanding goaltender after recording a 1.42 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage in four games.
For those unfamiliar with the Memorial Cup tournament. The tournament brings together the three championship winners from the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL. Plus the host city.
Winning this tournament is no easy feat, and although Binnington and his Owen Sound Attack could not win the ultimate prize in major junior hockey in Canada, his performance in the crease showcased his ability to step up and become a wall in between the pipes for his team during high-pressure games.
We’ve witnessed him play with that calm demeanor in the crease, which gives his teammates and coaches comfort when he’s at his best. And his past season with the Blues was a step up from the previous two years.
Canada’s situation in the crease is a lot more complex. They don’t have a runaway favorite for the team’s No. 1 netminder like a Connor Hellebuyck (USA), Juuse Saros (Finlan), or Linus Ullmark (Sweden).
However, Canada has seen some of their nation's goaltenders shine in the playoffs in recent years. In fact, the Stanley Cup Final has had a starting goalie come from the country up north for three consecutive years.
Darcy Kuemper was the man into the pipes for Colorado’s Cup win in 2022. Adin Hill took everyone by surprise with his play in the crease for Vegas last year. And Stuart Skinner this year has been the man for Edmonton apart from two games in their second-round series against Vancouver.
But knowing Binnington’s track record of being able to step up in the most challenging games will have him in consideration by his GM as a potential early pick to be on Canada’s roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Either way, in a best-on-best tournament you want players who have shown the ability to get the job done in the biggest games of their lives. Jordan Binnington has done that.