Jabobber Hockey

The St. Louis Blues won their first Stanley Cup Championship last season, and the city and team celebrated like it was a party 52-years in the making. 36 games into the season, the Blues have shown why they were the champs, sporting a 22-8-6 record. At the top of the Western Conference and second in the entire league, St. Louis has numerous reasons for their success. The least of which is not Jordan Binnington.

Binnington single-handedly saved the Blues’ season. They sat in last place on January 2 until he stormed onto the scene and posted a 24-5-1 record. His cool, deadpan demeanor exuded confidence, a confidence that rejuvenated his team and provided hope to the fan base. Who can forget his response when the reporter asked him if he ever gets nervous? “Do I look nervous?” Binnington answered straight-faced.

Heading into the playoffs, everyone wondered if he could maintain not only his stellar play but also his even-keeled approach. The Stanley Cup ring speaks for itself. Binnington’s spectacular and timely saves in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins kept the Blues’ hopes alive. The kid proved he could play, and dominate, in the spotlight.

Nonetheless, heading into the offseason, doubts remained and rightfully so. Binnington had never played a full season in the NHL, and though he more than proved himself, questions lingered. Was he the future of Blues’ goaltending? He inked a 2-year, $4.4 million contract that demonstrated the Blues trusted him, but Binnington still needed more experience to earn the huge ticket.

With almost half the season under his belt, it is safe to say that Binnington is the real deal. He’s 16-6-4 with a 2.44 GAA and .920 Sv%. Binnington’s tied for second in wins and has one shutout. Though he’s not as high on the list for GAA and Sv%, Binnington’s consistency has been the backbone of the Blues’ success. Along with the fantastic play of Blues’ backup Jake Allen (6-2-2), goaltending has been everything but an issue for St. Louis.

Of course, there is still much hockey left to play. But, neither Jordan Binnington nor the St. Louis Blues have shown any signs of slowing down. Even with injuries to key players – like Vladimir Tarasenko – the Blues have pushed through to success, relying on the steadiness of Binnington. With a team that does so much so well, it is easy to take for granted a component that thrives regularly and with consistency. Jordan Binnington may not be overlooked right now but certainly teammates, coaches, analysts, and fans expect nothing less than excellence from him. He has earned that respect and those standards, and he probably wouldn’t have it any other way.

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