A long-rumored move for Jordan Binnington may have just gotten a lot more real.
The St. Louis Blues are staring at a difficult decision before the season even settles in.
Binnington’s contract is winding down, and after his lone start turned into six goals allowed against a scorching Colorado Avalanche team, he did nothing to cool the chatter around his future. The expectation all summer was that if he wasn’t moved before opening night, he’d be dealt by the March deadline.
Now, that timeline could speed up after the New York Rangers lost their franchise goaltender.
If Igor Shesterkin is out for an extended stretch - and after the injury, that appears to be the case - Binnington suddenly looks like the most appealing goalie on the market. The Rangers have started 4-2-0 and have plenty working for them offensively and defensively with their new additions, but they need stability in net right now. Shesterkin went down with a leg injury and had to be carried off the ice without putting weight on his right leg.
Binnington would make sense on the ice, but the cap math is part of the conversation too. New York only has 378,561 to work with, though a Long-Term Injured Reserve placement for Shesterkin would open up that $11+ million AAV deal. Binnington’s $6 million AAV fits into that picture.
The tricky part is the price. Blues general manager Alexander Steen and Rangers general manager Chris Drury are not going to rush into anything, and neither side is likely to give much away in a deal like this. New York does have draft capital, prospects in the system, and NHL players it could move depending on how long Shesterkin is sidelined.
If Binnington does go, the Blues would need a replacement behind Joel Hofer. Georgii Romanov is the obvious candidate, since he is “the guy” in Springfield. It would be a fast transition, but not an easy one, especially with how fresh all of this still is.
Hofer was only handed the starting job four games ago, and now the Blues may be looking at the possibility of moving his longtime mentor and the winningest goaltender in franchise history. That would be a jolt to the original plan.
Still, this may be St. Louis’ best shot to get the highest return for Binnington.
His Colorado outing didn’t help his case, but the Rangers are in need of a winning goalie now. If Steen wants to maximize the moment, the path is there: call up Romanov, keep Hofer moving into the starting role, and see whether New York is ready to pay up.
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