Joel Hofer’s strong start has changed the crease picture in St. Louis, but the Blues cannot afford to treat goaltending like a one-man job.
After Hofer opened the season with a 25-save shutout against the Dallas Stars, he has pushed himself into the lead role heading into Tuesday’s game against Montreal. Even so, an 84-game NHL season is too long for one goalie to shoulder on his own.
That is where Jordan Binnington comes in. The Blues need the Stanley Cup-winning veteran to steady things as the backup and give the club a real second option in net if it wants to keep its playoff hopes intact this season.
The modern schedule leaves no room for shortcuts. Between the travel, the back-to-backs and the grind of the calendar, teams need a reliable second goalie to avoid running their starter into the ground. Leaning too hard on Hofer could drag down his energy, his mechanics and, eventually, his effectiveness.
Binnington’s start has been uneven, though that is hardly unfamiliar territory for him. The 33-year-old typically carries a .899 save percentage and a 2.92 goals-against average across his career, and his numbers have often followed a familiar rhythm.
He has tended to struggle early, then settle in later. December has been a rough stretch at times, but February has often brought a jump to around .914, with March usually landing near .905.
He has also logged just shy of 22,000 regular-season minutes, and at 33, the wear is becoming harder to ignore. St.
Louis needs points early, but it also needs to be smart about how it manages both goalies. Giving Binnington starts now could help him round into form while keeping Hofer fresh enough for the long haul.
There is also the contract situation. Binnington is in the final year of his deal, and moving from the top job in St.
Louis to a backup role is no small adjustment. Still, he has to stay sharp even when his starts come in bunches.
That means consistent work in practice and quality performances when he does get the crease.
His competitive edge has always been part of his game, and the Blues will need that edge pointed in the right direction. If Binnington responds with strong practices and dependable outings, he can pressure Hofer in a good way and give the coaching staff real confidence in the second half of the tandem.
For St. Louis, the lesson is simple: early points matter, and so does depth in goal.
Hofer is the starter for 2026-27 and beyond, but the Blues’ playoff outlook still hinges on Binnington delivering as the backup. If the two can share the load - even if that means the backup is in every third game - St.
Louis will be in a much better position to survive the season and stay in the race when it matters most.
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The changes do not stop there, either. St. Louis is also tweaking its defensive look, with Brandon Carlo and Philip Broberg set to be paired together for the first time, while Jordan Binnington gets the start in goal. With several players still out injured, the Blues are leaning into a reset that may say plenty about how they view this stretch, even if the bigger answer will have to wait until the puck drops. [Read more 🡒]
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Blues Suddenly Have A Scoring Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Blues had plenty of looks but nothing to show for them in a 2-0 loss to the Canadiens, a game that turned into another frustrating reminder that chances alone are not enough right now. Montreal got goals from Zack Bolduc and Florian Xhekaj, while Jordan Binnington faced a light workload by comparison, stopping 18 of 20 shots in a night where St. Louis never found a way to break through.
St. Louis has now been blanked in back-to-back games, a stretch that is going to sharpen the focus on a lineup that is generating opportunities without finishing them. The Canadiens, meanwhile, kept rolling with their third straight win and fifth straight game with a point, but the bigger takeaway for the Blues is how quickly a scoring issue can become impossible to ignore when the goals dry up twice in a row. [Read more 🡒]