Binnington led Blues’ rise
Jordan Binnington’s storybook ride from fourth-stringer to Stanley Cup-winning goaltender was fueled by a few free meals.
The best came last weekend at Brio Tuscan Grille, one of his favorite spots as St. Louis began to feel like home.
“They were good to me,” Binnington said.
Binnington has been so good for the Blues that fans of the longsuffering franchise might never let him pay for a meal again.
Drafted in the third round, shuffled to the bottom of the Blues’ goalie chart and even farmed out to Boston’s top minorleague affiliate, Binnington’s comeback is one for the ages: The 25-year-old rookie led the Blues from last in the NHL in early January to the first championship in franchise history.
He turned out to be the perfect backstop for the bruising Blues, a quiet anchor to rally around for a sixmonth run to the title. There was nowhere to go but up.
“It’s really cool,” the soft-spoken Binnington, a Toronto-area native, said after the Blues’ 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. “I understand it’s a good story. But I’m going to appreciate it later.”
Binnington seemed stunned to be standing with the Stanley Cup. “I can’t believe we’re here now,” he said.
He led them here. Beginning with a shutout in his first NHL start, on Jan.
7 in Philadelphia, Binnington went 24-5-1 with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.
“The first game he gets a shutout and you’re hoping,” general manager Doug Armstrong said. “You keep watching and wondering, ‘Is this real?’ Water usually finds its level. Well, Goaltender Jordan Binnington enjoys the postgame party after the Blues beat the Bruins in Game 7 on Wednesday night in Boston. his water level is very high.”
St. Louis’ run coincided with Binnington’s arrival and concluded with him stopping 32 shots in Game 7. Coach Craig Berube called it Binnington’s best game of the series.
“Great goaltender,” said forward Ryan O’reilly, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. “If we keep (shots) to the outside, he’s going to be making those saves.”
Making saves without looking flashy is what Binnington does best. He isn’t frantic in his play and exudes confidence that flows to the rest of the team.
“This group just got closer and closer as we went on,” Binnington said. “They welcomed me in and I just tried to do my job, battle and keep my mouth shut.”
Binnington’s quiet confidence and ability to steal games were key to the Blues climbing to the top of the hockey world. Game 7 was a perfect example: He made 12 saves in the first period to keep the Bruins off the board and allow his teammates to finally crack dominant goalie Tuukka Rask.
“He shut the door,” Blues center Tyler Bozak said. “He made incredible saves and gave us that confidence that he was dialed in, like he was all year. To get that first goal was kind of a relief, and we built from there.”