The St. Louis Blues are at the point where the conversation around Jordan Binnington has turned from concern to urgency.
After another loss in the 2026-27 season, Binnington is sitting at 1-3-1 with a save percentage of .850 and a 4.27 goals-against average. That kind of start has left him firmly on the hot seat, and this time the pressure is squarely on General Manager Alexander Steen to act.
Not every goal against him can be pinned on Binnington alone, and that was part of the picture in the game against the Devils. But the bigger issue is that he has been in those situations before and found a way to make the stop. This season, that hasn’t happened often enough.
Through five starts, he has given up more than five goals three times. That’s a brutal hole to dig out of, no matter how much offense a team can generate.
The Blues may already be running out of runway if they want to move him. A few weeks ago, the New York Rangers looked like a possible fit because of their goaltending issues, but that idea has faded with Dylan Garand back in form and Joonas Korpsialo set to return soon.
Buffalo could be another team to watch. The source of the problem there is different, but the need is real, and Steen has to be looking at what the Blues could get back for the winningest goaltender in franchise history.
For St. Louis, the argument is simple: sell now and make room for the next move.
Binnington has had chances against strong but beatable opponents and hasn’t delivered. No. 50 has missed the moment, and the Blues may have reached the point where they have to move on.
If that happens, Springfield will lose one of its goaltenders, either Will Cranley or Georgii Romanov. Cranley has been the stronger option by a wide margin.
There are also Love Harenstram and Vladimir Proskurin waiting in the farm system, though both are playing in Sweden and Russia, respectively, and both could get a look in the coming years as Joel Hofer’s backup. That path only becomes more important if Cranley doesn’t seize the opportunity now.
However it shakes out, the Blues need a way to win games without Hofer in net. At this point, they can’t keep leaning on the goaltender who delivered the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup.
In Other News...
Blues Let A Sure Road Win Turn Into A Brutal OT Loss
A road game that looked all but settled turned into a gut punch for the Blues, who rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third period only to leave with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Devils. St. Louis had every reason to believe it was about to steal a win after a furious push flipped the momentum late, but the comeback still ended with nothing to show for it.
Jordan Binnington did enough to keep the Blues in the fight with 31 saves, while New Jersey got 28 stops from Connor Hellebuyck to hang on through the chaos. The loss stings not just because St. Louis nearly completed the escape, but because it turned what should have been a sure road victory into a reminder of how quickly one breakdown can undo an otherwise impressive rally. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Get Logan Mailloux Back At A Crucial Time For Their Blue Line
The Blues have brought Logan Mailloux back into the fold after sending him on a conditioning stint with the Springfield Thunderbirds, a timely boost for a blue line that could use another option. Acquired last season, Mailloux arrives with both NHL and AHL experience, and his return gives St. Louis another defenseman to work into the mix as it tries to settle its back end.
Maillouxs path back has been slowed by the hand injury he picked up in the preseason, and the organization has been careful in getting him back up to speed. With the recall now complete, the next step is seeing how quickly he can translate that recovery into game action and whether he can help steady a defense that has been waiting for him to rejoin it. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Face A Tough Blue Line Call With Mailloux Back
Logan Mailloux is back with the Blues after being recalled from his conditioning assignment with the Springfield Thunderbirds, giving St. Louis another option on the blue line as he works his way back from the preseason injury that led to surgery. His return adds some needed depth and also puts the staff in a familiar spot for this time of year, when every healthy defenseman tends to make the lineup math a little more complicated.
Now the question is how the Blues make room for him. The coaching staff has a decision to make on which defenseman comes out of the lineup, and the answer could shape not just the next game but the way the club handles its back end in the short term. With Mailloux re-entering the mix, St. Louis has to balance his return against a group that has been holding together without much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]