Blues goalie Binnington focused on his game with Olympic selection looming

Jordan Binnington knows the chatter is out there. Heâ€s leaning on the mindset thatâ€s pulled him through tough stretches before.

The goalie who backstopped Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off opened the NHL season as the front-runner to start in Februaryâ€s Milan-Cortina Games. But a sluggish start — for both him and the St. Louis Blues — has raised questions about where he fits in Canadaâ€s Olympic plan.

“I’m aware of what’s going on, and you want to put yourself in the best position to make that team and make it easy for people making the decision,†he said. “At the same time, I feel like I’ve been around the league for a decent amount of time and I know that if I control my inner world and what I need to do to feel at my best, then the rest will take care of itself.

“That’s where my focus goes.”

Sunday night was a step in that direction.

Binnington made 23 saves in a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, thwarting several Grade-A chances — including a last-second look from Canadiens sniper Cole Caufield in the crease — to earn his seventh win this season.

It was a strong outing amid a difficult campaign for the 32-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., whoâ€s posting career-low stats across the board.

Binnington has a .875 save percentage, ranking 68th leaguewide and sixth-last among goalies with at least 10 games played. His minus-10.86 goals-saved above average, measuring how a goalie compares to the league average, is also fifth-worst according to analytics website Natural Stat Trick.

“Numbers aren’t necessarily where you want them to be,†the six-foot-two, 172-pound netminder said. “I’ve been approaching it as just focusing on my own process and what I need to feel good at the right time. I’m building my game every day, and that’s all I can do is control what I can control.

“The more I do that the more things will come out and fall into place.â€

Binnington said he hasnâ€t spoken to Canadaâ€s management team about the Olympic selection less than a month away — Doug Armstrong is both the general manager for St. Louis and the Canadian team.

“We haven’t talked about it at all. I think nothing needs to be said really, just do your job, focus here and the better the St. Louis Blues do, the better that is for that situation as well,” he said.

One thing working in Binningtonâ€s favour is his proven ability to step up in big moments.

He led St. Louis to the Stanley Cup in 2019, rising from minor-league goalie to season saviour and playoff hero in a few short months.

The fiery netminder — also known for his short temper — showed the same clutch play during the 4 Nations final, turning aside 31 of 33 American shots in Canadaâ€s 3-2 win, including a game-saving desperation glove stop on Auston Matthews in overtime.

“If you’re looking at statistics, you would, you know… but Binnington is such a winner,†Blues head coach Jim Montgomery said. “It doesn’t matter the stage, he always has the ability to bounce back because of his mental toughness, his belief in himself, and he was outstanding (Sunday).”

St. Louis captain Brayden Schenn said Binningtonâ€s low numbers only represent the teamâ€s all-around poor play early this season.

The Blues (11-12-7) have a .483 points percentage, which ranks fourth-last in the Western Conference, and hold a league-worst minus-27 goal differential — even after back-to-back wins against Ottawa and Montreal.

 “You know what? It’s been a roller-coaster season for a lot of guys on the team,†Schenn said. “People obviously, with him being the Canada goaltender last year, they look at numbers and all that type of stuff, but he makes big saves at good times.

“Our D-zone wasn’t very good at all in front of him for the first 20 games, and unfortunately our goalies took a beating for it with their numbers. Now you see that we’re a little bit tighter defensively, playing harder in front of him, and when they have to make the big saves they’re making them for us.”

When Binnington threw the puck into the corner in an attempt to kill the clock with five seconds remaining Sunday, only for the Canadiens to create another chance, he was there to make that crucial stop.

“Probably could have thrown it a little further or used my stick,†he said. “Smart player, (Nick) Suzuki I think slid it back out front, and just nice to battle it out and make one more save and close it out and then just hug the boys after.”

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