For months, the NHL teams in need of a goalie tried to trade with the Winnipeg Jets for Connor Hellebuyck. That pursuit has now passed, though — Hellebuyck was dealt to the New Jersey Devils, taking him off the market.
That doesn’t change the fact that there are still a bunch of contenders who don’t feel good enough about their goalie situation. The supply has changed, but the demand is still high.
That brings the hockey world to St. Louis, where the Blues’ former star goalie Jordan Binnington is still operating in net.
Binnington has been on the trade rumor mill dating back to last season’s deadline, when he ended up staying put. And now, he’s right back out there in rumors and reports and speculation.
This time, St. Louis has a different reality in net, and with Hellebuyck now accounted for elsewhere, Binnington could be next.
Jordan Binnington Trade Update
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston puts together a trade board in which he ranks players who could be on the move.
This week’s came out on Tuesday, and its No. 1 spot was held by Red Wings center Dylan Larkin — Johnston is essentially ranking likelihood to get traded combined with impact if traded.
That’s relevant because in the No. 8 spot on the board was Binnington, and he was the highest-ranked goalie.
Binnington will be a free agent at the end of this season, and he isn’t even the Blues’ starter anymore. Johnston makes it pretty clear that a trade could happen here.
“With Hellebuyck off the market, Binnington is the most intriguing name for teams looking to add an experienced goaltender,” Johnston writes. “There are some warning signs with his play over the past year or two, but his long-term track record remains a source of comfort. Binnington has often delivered his best performances in circumstances where the lights are brightest. Just getting playing time has become a challenge for him with the Blues, where Joel Hofer has taken control of the No. 1 job. Binnington is a pending UFA with a 10-team no-trade list.”
Hofer’s emergence has made it even (potentially) easier for the Blues to trade Binnington.
Yes, he had that glorious rookie season run to a Stanley Cup, but that was a decade ago. These days, Binnington’s best value to the Blues could be as a trade chip.
Potential Suitors
The list of potential suitors would likely look a lot like the teams that were after Hellebuyck.
In particular — the Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Utah Mammoth were all heavily in pursuit of Hellebuyck at one point or another and missed.
Those teams might not all be interested in an aging goalie on an expiring contract, but whether it’s that quartet or another team, Binnington seems like he’s got a decent chance of being moved sometime between now and the trade deadline.
Blues’ Jordan Binnington Trade Update Follows Hellebuyck Move