Jordan Binnington breaks silence on his Blues future

Binnington told reporter Jeremy Rutherford that he expects conversations with GM Doug Armstrong, known in the locker room as "Steener."

He was direct about it. "I think Steener and I are going to have some conversations," he said, before adding that he loves St. Louis and believes in what Armstrong has planned for the group.

But read between the lines here. A goaltender who posted a .875 save percentage in 40 games this season does not hold a lot of leverage in that conversation.

His backup, Joel Hofer, went 21-13 in 46 starts with a .909 SV% and six shutouts.

That gap is not subtle. Hofer has clearly outplayed his starter, and the Blues finished 37-33-12 with a -27 goal differential.

Binnington carries a $6,000,000 cap hit. That number, attached to a backup-level season, shrinks the market considerably.

Any team interested would need a desperate goaltending situation and cap flexibility, and those two things rarely show up in the same building at the same time.

To his credit, Binnington kept the quote grounded and professional. He said he believes in Armstrong's vision, wants to be part of a winning team, and will handle his situation as it comes.

That is exactly what you say when you know the math is not in your favor.

The Blues have been on a four-game win streak and went 6-3-1 over their last 10, so the team itself is trending in the right direction heading into the offseason.

Armstrong has a decision that is less about loyalty and more about cap allocation. Paying $6 million for a goalie who starts 40 games while your backup steals the crease is not a sustainable model.

Binnington said he is excited to get to work. The question is whether that work happens in St. Louis or somewhere else.

That answer belongs to Armstrong, not the crease.

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