The Blues’ 3-4-1 start has left them near the bottom of the Central Division, but the most troubling thing in St. Louis is staring them right in the face: Jordan Binnington has been a problem.
There are other issues in the early going - the top line hasn’t delivered, the power play has sputtered, and the coaching staff hasn’t exactly inspired confidence - but none of that overshadows what Binnington has done in net. The expectation over the summer was that he’d shake off last season’s rough work, come in with a clean slate, and justify both his standing with the Blues and the nod he got as Team Canada’s starter at the Winter Olympics. Instead, Joel Hofer now looks like the clear No. 1, with Binnington drifting toward a veteran backup role.
That hasn’t happened either.
Through three appearances, Binnington owns a minus-5.0 Goals Saved Above expected mark, which ranks fifth-worst in the league, according to Money Puck. His save percentage sits at a brutal .831, and St.
Louis has been outscored by six goals in his starts, even though the team is only minus-1 overall. Outside of a win against a mediocre Nashville Predators team - a game in which he still posted just a .870 save percentage - his presence has dragged the roster down.
If this continues and the front office does nothing, he could end up sinking the season by himself.
That leaves the Blues looking for help, and the market isn’t simple. One possible fit is Sam Montembault, who has slipped out of favor with the Montreal Canadiens after Jakub Dobes’s playoff run last season - don’t look at his current stat line - and the rise of Jacob Fowler. Montembault is also in the final year of a contract carrying a $3.15-million AAV, which keeps the risk manageable if the move doesn’t work.
There’s also the Toronto angle, where the tandem of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz has struggled, though the club has called up prospect Arthur Akhtyamov and has Elvis Merzlikins on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) who could be back later in the year. If that situation shifts, Stolarz could be a sensible long-term tandem partner for Hofer. He’s under contract through 2030 at $3.75-million AAV, but the appeal comes with real caution: he’s injury prone, he’s 32, and there’s a chance the wear and tear only gets worse.
A more expensive and longer-term possibility is Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights. He’s opened this season with four wins, but he also carries a $6.25-million AAV deal through 2031, and he’s 30 already after an underwhelming stretch for much of last season.
On paper, Hill and Hofer could make sense together. In practice, that is a major commitment.
There are other names that could surface, too. Detroit might decide to move on from John Gibson or Daniil Tarasov and give Trey Augustine a shot at the NHL level. Colorado or Minnesota could also alter their goalie plans, with the Wild potentially having to sort out Jesper Wallstedt’s future once Filip Gustavsson returns.
The options may grow, but the message for St. Louis is already clear: Binnington can’t keep getting regular starts if this team wants to make the playoffs. General manager Alex Steen has to move quickly, or 2026-27 could start looking an awful lot like last season.
In Other News...
Blues Loss Exposed Two Problems Fans Are Tired Of
The Blues latest trip through Nashville offered a familiar mix of hope and frustration, with a 5-2 loss that once again put their special teams under the microscope. Jimmy Snuggerud provided one bright spot by converting on the power play, giving St. Louis a needed jolt in a game where chances were harder to come by and the Predators penalty kill did plenty of the heavy lifting.
St. Louis managed only one goal on five power-play opportunities, and the inability to cash in when the game tilted toward the man advantage loomed large throughout the night. In goal, Jordan Binnington was left facing too much traffic and too many clean looks, and the Blues never found enough answers to keep the game from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Bring Back A Young Name As Roster Questions Suddenly Grow
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The move came with Ross Johnston going on injured reserve because of a lower-body injury, and he is expected to miss at least a week. With Johnston sidelined and the roster full, the Blues have had to thread the needle between immediate availability and longer-range financial flexibility, which is how the cap conversation has suddenly become part of the personnel discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Logan Mailloux Finally Gave Blues Fans A Reason For Hope
Logan Mailloux is only three weeks into an eight-week recovery from hand surgery, but the young defenseman gave Blues fans a small sign that the long road back is moving in the right direction. Before a recent team practice, he was spotted skating on his own, the first indication that he has gotten back on the ice since the preseason injury that landed him on injured reserve.
For a club waiting to see what kind of impact Mailloux can make once healthy, even a solo skate carries some weight. The Blues still have a stretch to go before he is ready to rejoin the lineup, and his rehab remains the priority, but the sight of him moving again offered a more encouraging update than the silence that followed his surgery. [Read more 🡒]