Binnington casualty of not making playoffs?

[a smell of green grass]

Rumor has it...that Binnnington will be traded if Blues miss playoffs
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/09/n ... trade.html

Do you suspect that Blues may miss the playoffs?
I suspect that there is a good chance of this, at least 50%. The other teams in our division are improving rapidly, and the Blues are not keeping up.

Do you believe that they will trade Binnington if they miss the playoffs?
Making the playoffs make no difference to what happens with Binnington, at least not directly. The Stanley Cup for the Blues is making the extra cash that the playoffs bring. If Binnington contributes to that goal, he is IN. If Binnington hurts that goal, he may be OUT. He could probably falter 1.5+ years before Army would trade him away.

If I were GM...
I would only trade Binnington if I could get a TOP10 draft pick for him, and we were hovering at .500 in February. The Blues won't be competing for a Cup again in many years, but at least Binnington is a solid name for a jersey.

[Inglewood Jack]

First, thank you for making a post without the same storyline. It allows for a new discussion. Personally I think there are deeper things to consider when it comes to the article.

1. Goalies rarely get a prime return, and it would have to be a team that would be desperate for a big game goalie (Oil)? And where do they get a top 10 pick?

2. If the Blues are not making the playoffs is part of it due to lackluster goalie play? If so then the confidence in Hofer may be diminshed, and the return for Binner probably not enticing, but see 1 above.

3. There would have to be comfort that Ellis or other replacement for a 1a or 1b, should Binner get traded.

4. I think the Blues are sitting comfortable with the current contracts, so they may just want to ride those out.

So, in my opinion, it is quite unlikely

[STL fan in MN]

Rumor has it this is just another fan blog positing pure speculation as a “rumor”. The idea of “if team misses the playoffs they may sell off some of their vets at the trade deadline” isn’t news. That’s just how business in the NHL works and these fan blogs are simply desperate to have something to write about here during the dead season because there’s no actual news to talk about. Thankfully, the dead season should end in another week or two and we’ll have actual things to talk about.

First, thank you for making a post without the same storyline. It allows for a new discussion. Personally I think there are deeper things to consider when it comes to the article.

1. Goalies rarely get a prime return, and it would have to be a team that would be desperate for a big game goalie (Oil)? And where do they get a top 10 pick?

2. If the Blues are not making the playoffs is part of it due to lackluster goalie play? If so then the confidence in Hofer may be diminshed, and the return for Binner probably not enticing, but see 1 above.

3. There would have to be comfort that Ellis or other replacement for a 1a or 1b, should Binner get traded.

4. I think the Blues are sitting comfortable with the current contracts, so they may just want to ride those out.

So, in my opinion, it is quite unlikely

These are all good points. Agreed. Even if the Blues do surprisingly do poorly this season, I doubt they’d seriously consider trading Binner.

[Red7]

If the Blues fail to make the playoffs, it means something went seriously wrong. Absent a string of catastrophic injuries to several core players, failing to make the playoffs could and SHOULD involve many changes with everything and everyone on the table, including Binnington.

[b-a-a-a-rclay]

There might not be a huge difference between the top 6 teams in the division. The Blues are going to be a very competitive team. They should be right in the mix throughout the season. Injuries to key players are an uncontrollable variable for every team. Writing an article in early september about what a team will do if they fall out of the playoff race is silly. But it's what this guy wrote about when there is nothing going on before camp.

[dhsux]

Poppycock speculation, the worst kind.

[TAFKAP]

Let's be real, Binnington's numbers are as affected by Covid, and Nazem Kadri as not making the playoffs.

2018-19 Cup Winner
2019-20 Covid Bubble, Captain and #1D Alex Pietrangelo quoted as he didn't pick up a stick during shutdown. It showed.
2020-21 Parayko's back problem leads to him only playing in 32 games and Faulk became a monster that year as our defacto #1D. Covid tests in CO lead to players being pulled from morning skate, then found OK to play. Justin Faulk destroyed by Kadri in Game 2, leading to 8 game suspension. Blues get swept.
2021-22 Blues go on a heater, Binnington posts a 1.72gaa and a .949sv% over 6 games before being eliminated by Nazim Kadri in Game 3. Blues lose in 6
2022-23 Nope
2023-24 Nope
2024-25 2.53gaa and .901sv% in 7 games against the Presidents Trophy winner, not the problem here.

He's had an interesting career for sure.

[netboy65]

Rumor has it...that Binnnington will be traded if Blues miss playoffs
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/09/n ... trade.html

Do you suspect that Blues may miss the playoffs?
I suspect that there is a good chance of this, at least 50%. The other teams in our division are improving rapidly, and the Blues are not keeping up.

Do you believe that they will trade Binnington if they miss the playoffs?
Making the playoffs make no difference to what happens with Binnington, at least not directly. The Stanley Cup for the Blues is making the extra cash that the playoffs bring. If Binnington contributes to that goal, he is IN. If Binnington hurts that goal, he may be OUT. He could probably falter 1.5+ years before Army would trade him away.

If I were GM...
I would only trade Binnington if I could get a TOP10 draft pick for him, and we were hovering at .500 in February. The Blues won't be competing for a Cup again in many years, but at least Binnington is a solid name for a jersey.

The major flaw with the plan is that most likely any team with a projected top 10 pick isn’t trading for a goalie.
Otherwise it is a worthy discussion

[moose-and-squirrel]

Rumor has it...that Binnnington will be traded if Blues miss playoffs
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/09/n ... trade.html

Do you suspect that Blues may miss the playoffs?
I suspect that there is a good chance of this, at least 50%. The other teams in our division are improving rapidly, and the Blues are not keeping up.

Do you believe that they will trade Binnington if they miss the playoffs?
Making the playoffs make no difference to what happens with Binnington, at least not directly. The Stanley Cup for the Blues is making the extra cash that the playoffs bring. If Binnington contributes to that goal, he is IN. If Binnington hurts that goal, he may be OUT. He could probably falter 1.5+ years before Army would trade him away.

If I were GM...
I would only trade Binnington if I could get a TOP10 draft pick for him, and we were hovering at .500 in February. The Blues won't be competing for a Cup again in many years, but at least Binnington is a solid name for a jersey.

The major flaw with the plan is that most likely any team with a projected top 10 pick isn’t trading for a goalie.
Otherwise it is a worthy discussion

and def not a 32yr old one at that

[a smell of green grass]

Rumor has it...that Binnnington will be traded if Blues miss playoffs
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/09/n ... trade.html

Do you suspect that Blues may miss the playoffs?
I suspect that there is a good chance of this, at least 50%. The other teams in our division are improving rapidly, and the Blues are not keeping up.

Do you believe that they will trade Binnington if they miss the playoffs?
Making the playoffs make no difference to what happens with Binnington, at least not directly. The Stanley Cup for the Blues is making the extra cash that the playoffs bring. If Binnington contributes to that goal, he is IN. If Binnington hurts that goal, he may be OUT. He could probably falter 1.5+ years before Army would trade him away.

If I were GM...
I would only trade Binnington if I could get a TOP10 draft pick for him, and we were hovering at .500 in February. The Blues won't be competing for a Cup again in many years, but at least Binnington is a solid name for a jersey.

The major flaw with the plan is that most likely any team with a projected top 10 pick isn’t trading for a goalie.
Otherwise it is a worthy discussion

and def not a 32yr old one at that

The team most willing to pay big for a goalie is Edmonton, and Army burned the Edmonton bridge for the rest of our lifetimes.

However, maybe Florida or some other Cup-chasing team has an "extra" #1, and maybe their starter gets injured, and maybe the Moon hits the wolf's hind end in just the right way.

The other limiting factor is that ARMY DOESN"T WANT HIGH ROUND 1 PICKS. NOT EVER. There is way too much risk in doing so. If you make a bad move, the fans will scream. Unlike when you draft poorly at 15+. If the prospects fails in that scenario, the prospect is blamed, not Army.

[stlblue06]

Even if everything goes wrong this season I don’t see the Blues trading Binnington. Hofer is still really young and they have both contracts lined up perfectly. 3 seasons left for both goalies.

With so many prospects knocking on the door but not quite ready outside of Snuggles, they should keep the course no matter what and Binnington will be needed.

[netboy65]

Rumor has it...that Binnnington will be traded if Blues miss playoffs
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/09/n ... trade.html

Do you suspect that Blues may miss the playoffs?
I suspect that there is a good chance of this, at least 50%. The other teams in our division are improving rapidly, and the Blues are not keeping up.

Do you believe that they will trade Binnington if they miss the playoffs?
Making the playoffs make no difference to what happens with Binnington, at least not directly. The Stanley Cup for the Blues is making the extra cash that the playoffs bring. If Binnington contributes to that goal, he is IN. If Binnington hurts that goal, he may be OUT. He could probably falter 1.5+ years before Army would trade him away.

If I were GM...
I would only trade Binnington if I could get a TOP10 draft pick for him, and we were hovering at .500 in February. The Blues won't be competing for a Cup again in many years, but at least Binnington is a solid name for a jersey.

The major flaw with the plan is that most likely any team with a projected top 10 pick isn’t trading for a goalie.
Otherwise it is a worthy discussion

and def not a 32yr old one at that

The team most willing to pay big for a goalie is Edmonton, and Army burned the Edmonton bridge for the rest of our lifetimes.

However, maybe Florida or some other Cup-chasing team has an "extra" #1, and maybe their starter gets injured, and maybe the Moon hits the wolf's hind end in just the right way.

The other limiting factor is that ARMY DOESN"T WANT HIGH ROUND 1 PICKS. NOT EVER. There is way too much risk in doing so. If you make a bad move, the fans will scream. Unlike when you draft poorly at 15+. If the prospects fails in that scenario, the prospect is blamed, not Army.

THERE it is! Just when there was a small glimmer of hope for a discussion the same ol drivel comes out. Seek professional help dude

[b-a-a-a-rclay]

Snagging Broberg and Holloway was so dumb. Every smart hockey person agrees. Don't some people realize that DA ruined our chance to trade for the Oilers top 5 pick some day because of that stupid move?
No one should ever try to win a transaction because then you might not be able to make another transaction with that team. This makes so much sense to one poster.

[STL fan in MN]

Rumor has it...that Binnnington will be traded if Blues miss playoffs
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2025/09/n ... trade.html

Do you suspect that Blues may miss the playoffs?
I suspect that there is a good chance of this, at least 50%. The other teams in our division are improving rapidly, and the Blues are not keeping up.

Do you believe that they will trade Binnington if they miss the playoffs?
Making the playoffs make no difference to what happens with Binnington, at least not directly. The Stanley Cup for the Blues is making the extra cash that the playoffs bring. If Binnington contributes to that goal, he is IN. If Binnington hurts that goal, he may be OUT. He could probably falter 1.5+ years before Army would trade him away.

If I were GM...
I would only trade Binnington if I could get a TOP10 draft pick for him, and we were hovering at .500 in February. The Blues won't be competing for a Cup again in many years, but at least Binnington is a solid name for a jersey.

The major flaw with the plan is that most likely any team with a projected top 10 pick isn’t trading for a goalie.
Otherwise it is a worthy discussion

and def not a 32yr old one at that

The team most willing to pay big for a goalie is Edmonton, and Army burned the Edmonton bridge for the rest of our lifetimes.

However, maybe Florida or some other Cup-chasing team has an "extra" #1, and maybe their starter gets injured, and maybe the Moon hits the wolf's hind end in just the right way.

The other limiting factor is that ARMY DOESN"T WANT HIGH ROUND 1 PICKS. NOT EVER. There is way too much risk in doing so. If you make a bad move, the fans will scream. Unlike when you draft poorly at 15+. If the prospects fails in that scenario, the prospect is blamed, not Army.

THERE it is! Just when there was a small glimmer of hope for a discussion the same ol drivel comes out. Seek professional help dude

Did you really expect otherwise?

Just like all roads lead to Rome, all ASOGG posts lead to garbage.

[a smell of green grass]

Anyone not convinced that Army doesn't want to select anywhere near the top of the draft....

Just study closely what happened in 2023. The highest pick that the Blues got following that disaster was 10. And that is the highest pick that Army has ever gotten with the Blues.

So whenever you think about trading away a player...thinking that we will get a high draft pick, consider what we got in 2023. Face reality. Army doesn't want a pick in the TOP10. He doesn't want the scrutiny that comes with it.

[netboy65]

Anyone not convinced that Army doesn't want to select anywhere near the top of the draft....

Just study closely what happened in 2023. The highest pick that the Blues got following that disaster was 10. And that is the highest pick that Army has ever gotten with the Blues.

So whenever you think about trading away a player...thinking that we will get a high draft pick, consider what we got in 2023. Face reality. Army doesn't want a pick in the TOP10. He doesn't want the scrutiny that comes with it.

So in 2023, we traded our guys to teams making a playoff push at the deadline so did you really expect them to have a top pick to give us? The teams that had the top picks, are they giving them away for a rental?
An agenda is one thing, but having zero logic is just dumb.