THE LATE BLOOMER
IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR JORDAN BINNINGTON TO BECOME AN OVERNIGHT SENSATION. HERE’S HOW HE BECAME THE BIGGEST STORY OF THE NHL’S SECOND HALF.
IT PROBABLY SEEMED LIKE A REASONABLE QUESTION AT THE MOMENT.
Microphone in hand, a reporter approached the rookie netminder and asked if he’d felt nervous making his NHL playoff debut.
“Did I look nervous?” Jordan Binnington responded dryly before waiting a beat. “Then there’s your answer.”
Loquacious he’s not. But the Blues aren’t paying the 25-year-old to dazzle the media. They need him to stop pucks. And since arriving on the scene in December, he’s done enough of that to salvage what looked like a lost season in St. Louis.
If Elias Pettersson was the biggest story of the season’s first half, then it was Binnington who dominated the second. But unlike the
highly touted Swedish forward, the Canadian keeper came from virtually nowhere to remind collectors, and NHL general managers, that patience can pay dividends.
Binnington’s rise from obscurity was facilitated by chaos in the St Louis crease. Starter Jake Allen was injured,
and struggling backup Chad Johnson was put on waivers, forcing Binnington’s call-up on Dec. 10, 2018. He didn’t get his first start for nearly a month, but on Jan. 7 he made 25 saves in a shutout win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He followed that up with victories against Montreal and Dallas.
By Feb. 19, he was 13-1-1, and although it wasn’t all him it was clear that Binnington was the biggest reason that the Blues had gone from Western Conference punching bag to a playoff contender. By season’s end, he had played himself into a rookie of the year nomination with a 24-5-1 record in 32 appearances, a .927 save percentage and an NHL-best 1.89 goals-against average.
“He was a guy who was waiting for his opportunity,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “You know, good for him – when he got it, he took advantage of it.”
For awhile it seemed like that opportunity might never come.
The Blues used a pick acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning to select Binnington in the third round (88th overall) of the 2011 draft. He was regarded as the top goalie prospect in the OHL at the time after a stunning performance in the league playoffs and later at the Memorial Cup. The 17-year-old led all goaltenders with a 1.42 GAA and .951 save percentage, while posting the tournament’s only shutout. He earned the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the event’s top goaltender, and was named to the tournament All-Star Team – a remarkable achievement considering the Attack finished fourth in the four-team challenge.
He burnished that reputation over the next two seasons of junior hockey and appeared to be on the fast track to the pros. After a year with ECHL Kalamazoo, he spent the next three seasons polishing his skills with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. But in that third season he was caught in a three-man rotation with Pheonix Cooley and Ville Husso... and by the end of the year, it was clear that Husso was the organization’s new top prospect between the pipes.
Last season, the Blues tried to send Binnington to the ECHL again. He refused to report, forcing the team to find him someplace else to play in the AHL. The Bruins organization agreed to let him join Providence, and though he hardly played at first, he came on strong in the second half, earning an AHL All-Star nod in the process.
Despite that success he remained behind Husso on the Blues depth chart, and it wasn’t until the favored Finn’s game fell apart early this season that Binnington became their No. 1 goalie in the minors. He went on an 11-4 tear while posting a 2.08 GAA and .927 save percentage before earning his shot in St. Louis – proof that developing players deserve patience as they, and their skills, mature.
“I knew I was good enough,” Binnington told the Post-Dispatch. “My back was kinda against the wall with the
“IT TOOK ME A LITTLE LONGER THAN I WANTED, BUT I’M HERE. I HAD A LOT OF FUN, BUT I DIDN’T LIKE WHERE I WAS IN MY CAREER. I THINK IT ALL COMES FROM JUST LIFESTYLE, AND TRYING TO FIND PEACE OF MIND, AND LIVING WELL, AND TAKING CARE OF MY BODY.”
organization. Growing up I was a pretty talented guy. I kind of lost my way from there a little bit. I was still working hard. But I think my lifestyle habits and choices were just not (conducive) to be a consistent goaltender. I kind of figured out what was important in my life. It’s kind of part of growing up, right?
“It took me a little longer than I wanted, but I’m here. I had a lot of fun, but I didn’t like where I was in my career. I think it all comes from just lifestyle, and trying to find peace of mind, and living well, and taking care of my body.”
While his development on the ice has been remarkable, Binnington’s hobby rise has been nothing short of meteoric.
Prior to this season, Binnington had made just one NHL appearance, seeing 12 minutes of relief action, during the 2015-16 season. But he earned a handful of Rookie Cards the year prior after an emergency call-up to the Blues saw him dress as a back-up.
That inauspicious debut, coupled with his mid-round draft status, left collectors yawning when his cards began appearing in packs. And as his career seemed to stall in the minors, and as Husso passed him on the Blues’ depth chart, Binnington’s status as a common seemed to be cemented.
Of course, there were fans who kept the faith … and snapped up his cards at bargain prices.
“I mean, I was picking up his [2014-15 Upper Deck] Young Guns out of dollar bins just this year,” said Candice Holman, who became a fan of Binnington’s during his run with the Wolves. “All his stuff was dirt cheap. I remember one time at a show where I bought a couple of his cards the dealer told me to wait while he scrambled though his stuff looking for others. He was practically willing to give them away. I wonder if he remembers doing that?”
If he does, he’s probably regretting his kindness. Binnington’s cards – virtually unlisted until this issue – were red hot as the regular season wound down, with action centering on his Young Guns #469 and The Cup #138. The 249-copy print run of the latter will prevent it from reaching the heights of a /99 RC, but it’s also ensured that the card has seen plenty of action over the previous 90 days.
“I picked up a couple [Cup RCs] early on for $20-$25 or so,” Holman said wistfully. “I really wish I’d bought more when they were cheap.”
She shouldn’t feel too bad. Most collectors are just now catching on to Binnington, which explains all the up arrows in this issue. And they may yet prove to be the lucky ones. After making a strong impression in his first NHL playoffs, he’s on track to be the No. 1 backstop for a strong St. Louis team for years to come.
The best days of his career, and hobby popularity, lie ahead.