Blues Poised to Trade Goaltender Jordan Binnington as Robert Thomas Draws Interest

This week is shaping up to be a transformative one for the St. Louis Blues. Amid mounting interest for forward cornerstone Robert Thomas, they’ve also been fielding more sparse interest in starting goaltender Jordan Binnington over the last several months. That appears to be coming to a head now as NHL Network’s Brian Lawton reports they’re ready to move on from Binnington and that it feels like a move is a forgone conclusion.

Shift in Direction

That’s a sharp change in direction from the feeling surrounding Binnington recently, which was that the team was listening to offers but wasn’t close to seriously considering a move. He’d been left off most trade boards or ranked rather low on them. He was down at 24th on TSN’s most recent Trade Bait list and 43rd on Chris Johnston’s list for The Athletic.

Linked Futures

In all likelihood, Binnington’s and Thomas’ futures in St. Louis are linked. It makes little sense for a team considering a retool or rebuild to move one player of either’s caliber and importance but not the other. As such, there’s been an increased willingness to shop Binnington amid some intriguing offers for Thomas from the Mammoth and Sabres.

Binnington’s Value: A Complex Equation

Binnington’s trade value is hard to gauge. He’s on a desirable contract for an established but inconsistent starter with a cap hit of $6MM that expires after next season. He’s also coming off exceptional performances as Team Canada’s starter on the international stage in back-to-back years, guiding Canada to a championship at last season’s 4 Nations Face-Off and putting up a .917 SV% in five games en route to a silver medal at last month’s Winter Olympics. He’s also a Cup champion and Calder Trophy finalist with a largely above-average track record in the playoffs.

“The Blues appear ready to move on from Jordan Binnington. 16 team no trade list is in play but feels like a move is a forgone conclusion at this stage with where @StLouisBlues heading in the near term.”

Brian Lawton, NHL Network

Statistical Concerns

However, Binnington has been the NHL’s worst starting goaltender this season. While the Blues’ skater core has been below-average defensively, Binnington’s .867 SV% and 8-18-6 record in 31 starts are individually concerning, especially when considering backup Joel Hofer’s .899 SV% in a similar workload. The analytics support this – Binnington’s -23.8 goals saved above expected are the worst in the league.

Hofer’s Emergence

Hofer’s recent hot streak and intriguing prospect status only make moving on from Binnington a more natural position to grab, especially if St. Louis can squeeze more return value out of him now. Hofer has another year left at $3.4MM before becoming an arbitration-eligible free agent. He’s now even in GSAx on the year after a rough start and has a 14-11-3 record, including a .905 SV% in his last 15 outings.

The Blues are at a crossroads, and these potential trades could significantly reshape their future. The coming weeks will be crucial as they navigate these decisions and aim to build a competitive team.