The St. Louis Blues head into the preseason’s final stretch with some real questions on defense, but the bigger reason for optimism might be sitting in goal.
Tyler Tucker is out week-to-week, Logan Mailloux will miss eight weeks after successful hand surgery, and while the Blues did claim Justin Barron on waivers and still have Adam Jiricek with a chance to make an impact as a rookie pro, that blue line looks thinner than it did just a week ago. Even so, the team may be able to absorb some of that hit if Joel Hofer keeps trending the way goalie evaluators think he can.
That case got a fresh boost today when The Athletic released its rankings of 45 NHL goaltenders, built from input from coaches and goalie experts. The familiar names sit near the top, with Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin among the elite, but Hofer’s rise stands out. He landed in Tier 3 after going unranked last season, tied for 24th with Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord in the “Strong Starter” group.
The reaction around Hofer was notably upbeat. One panelist said, "I see his confidence growing and I think he could be a Tier 2."
That would put him in the “Franchise Starting Goalie” class, described as a “top 10 goalie in the league.” Another panelist went even further, predicting Hofer could eventually take over Jordan Binnington’s role as Team Canada’s starter.
There’s reason the praise isn’t coming out of nowhere. Hofer showed plenty down the stretch last season, and now the challenge is bigger: lock down the No. 1 job and keep that level of play going into the postseason. With this being a contract year, he has every incentive to make the most of it and push for a lucrative deal next summer.
Binnington’s standing moved in the opposite direction. He dropped from Tier 2 at the start of last year to Tier 4 this season, where he is tied for 31st. Tier 4 is labeled for “Unproven or Tandem Goalies,” which tells you how much ground he lost in the eyes of the panel.
That slide fits with how rough last season was for him. He did play well for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics in Milan, and he “wasn't the reason they lost in the gold medal game,” but that doesn’t erase his regular-season struggles.
Binnington is also in a contract year, and unless injury or a sharp dip from Hofer changes the picture, the Blues appear set to open with Hofer as the starter and Binnington as the backup. If St. Louis has any real shot at a wildcard spot in a crowded Central Division, it may need both goalies to rebound and deliver.
In Other News...
Blues Prospects Are Giving Fans An Early Reason For Optimism
With the first full weeks of major junior and European play rolling in, the Blues prospect pipeline has already offered a little encouragement. Forward prospects Maddox Dagenais and Carter Stevens have been among the early standouts in the scoring column, while goaltender Vladimir Proskurin made a promising first impression in the Western Hockey League. There has also been steady work from Swedish goalies Marcus Gidlf and Love Hrenstam in HockeyAllsvenskan, along with points from Matvei Korotky, Dmitri Buchelnikov and Mikhail Fyodorov.
For a St. Louis organization looking for signs that its next wave is moving in the right direction, the early returns are the kind that matter. It is still very early, of course, but the breadth of the production is notable, with help coming from forwards and goaltenders alike across several leagues. The next question is how long that momentum can last once the schedule settles in and the competition tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Why Pius Suter Could Matter More To The Blues Than Fans Think
Pius Suter may not be the flashiest addition on the Blues roster, but his value shows up in the places coaches tend to trust most. He is expected to be a versatile forward who can play both center and wing, giving St. Louis another option throughout the lineup while supporting the clubs top offensive players.
His role should be especially important in the quieter parts of a game, where defensive responsibility matters just as much as scoring touch. For a Blues team that wants flexibility and dependable depth, Suter gives the staff another piece who can stabilize the forward group and keep the lineup from feeling thin when changes are needed. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Blue Line Faces Early Test After Two Unexpected Losses
The Blues are already having to lean on their depth on the blue line after two early setbacks forced some quick roster juggling. Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker have both been moved to injured reserve, prompting St. Louis to bring up Adam Jiricek and add Justin Barron to help stabilize the back end while the group sorts itself out.
For a team that wanted to settle into the season with a steady defensive rotation, the timing is less than ideal. The immediate concern is finding enough reliable minutes in the short term, and the longer view depends on how long St. Louis has to manage without two young defensemen who were supposed to be part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]