Blues’ Jordan Binnington, built for big moments, is ‘locked in’ for Game 7

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WINNIPEG — It’s hard to believe, but it’s been six years since St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, a rookie in 2019, was asked how nervous he was facing the Winnipeg Jets in his first NHL playoff series.

“Do I look nervous?” Binnington famously asked.

He further answered the question with his performance, a playoff run that began in Winnipeg and ended in Boston with the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

“I remember when he first came in, how locked in he was,” Blues defenseman Colton Parayko said. “When you need him the most, he’s always there.”

“He instills confidence in your team,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “Looking back, his whole career, that’s the motto he’s had, right? He shows up in big moments.”

So when the Blues beat the Jets 5-2 in Game 6 of their Western Conference playoff series Friday night, the attention immediately turned to Binnington. How much confidence do teammates have in the author of 23 postseason wins, including two Game 7s?

“He’s just locked in,” Blues forward Nathan Walker said. “That’s it.”

That’s it. There’s no elaborate explanation. They show up and know Binnington will be ready to make the saves that will give them a chance to win the game.

Sunday, it’ll be a chance for the Blues to upset the Jets in their first-round series when the teams meet in Game 7 at 6 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery will be in the fourth Game 7 of his NHL coaching career and understands the advantage of having Binnington as his goalie in a game of this magnitude.

“Two words that come to mind right away is how calm he is and ‘proven winner,’” Montgomery said. “He’s done it, he’s been there, he knows how to not only get himself in the right zone but also how to give confidence to his team in front of him.

“It’s the confidence and swagger that he gives the rest of us. The way he carries himself in the crease, you can almost feel the body language is ‘I got it, boys. Just go do your job. I got the rest.’ That’s the way he makes us feel.”

Binnington is 2-0 in Game 7s.

His first during the 2019 playoffs was a 2-1 victory in double overtime over the Dallas Stars, who were coached by Montgomery at the time, when he made 29 of 30 saves. His second, of course, came in a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final, when he made 32 of 33 saves. So in two Game 7s, he has turned aside 61 of 63 shots for an astounding .968 save percentage.

That’s why there’s no other goalie that Schenn would rather have going into Sunday’s game than his longtime teammate.

“No,” Schenn said. “I can say that fully with what he did in 2019. He’s our guy, he’s a special human, and he gets up for big moments.”

But that’s not the only large stage on which Binnington has thrived.

In the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the 31-year-old helped carry Team Canada to a 3-2 overtime win over the U.S., making 31 of 33 saves in the gold medal game. His glove save on the Americans’ Brady Tkachuk was a showstopper.

Montgomery, as well as the rest of Binnington’s Blues teammates, was watching on TV back home.

“His ability to rise in big moments is always what describes him best,” Montgomery said. “That’s why he’s special.”

If you combine Binnington’s save totals in his two Game 7s and the gold medal game, he’s made 92 of 96 stops for a 1.18 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage.

“His track record speaks for itself,” Blues defenseman Cam Fowler said. “He was unbelievable when they won the Cup here, and you saw what he could do in the 4 Nations tournament, so we have all the trust and faith in him.

“And his demeanor, too. He’s calm and he’s collected back there. He’s the total package. He’s a huge reason why we are where we are, and we’ll continue to lean on him because he’s shown everybody time and time again that he’s world class.”

Now Binnington finds himself in another high-stakes Game 7 matchup against Winnipeg, and interestingly, he’ll be head-to-head against the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, just as they were in the gold medal game.

So far, Binnington has had the upper hand in the series.

He’s 3-3 with a 2.54 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage. That’s not super glossy, but eight of the 11 goals he’s allowed, according to Natural Stat Trick, have been high-danger scoring chances. He’s stopped 26 of 34 high-danger shots (.765 save percentage), and they’ve included some highlight-reel material, such as his back-to-back saves on the Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers in Game 6.

this guy is un-bleeping-believable pic.twitter.com/DdXrkg5O1l

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 3, 2025

“Numbers don’t always tell the story, whether you’re a player or goalie,” Schenn said. “He’s made timely saves in key moments.”

As Binnington has also done throughout his career, he’s given the Blues an advantage with his elite puck-handling skills. His ability to stop the puck behind his own net negates the opposition’s forecheck and helps the Blues advance the puck up ice for clean breakouts and quicker transitions.

“It makes it a lot easier for us D-men when he gets those pucks and moves them quick and simple,” Parayko said. “It allows you to play an aggressive style. Sometimes you do get beat, and that’s hockey, but knowing you have him back there, it makes you confident in being aggressive and making plays that you know you can make.”

Throughout a series, it also saves some wear and tear on the Blues’ defensemen because they’re not being hit by the forechecking forwards as much.

For example, in the six games played so far, the Blues’ top-four defensemen have been on the receiving end of a combined 66 hits, including just six on Fowler. Meanwhile, the Jets’ top four have been hit 84 times, including Josh Morrissey 28 times and all four in double digits.

“He’s been unbelievable for us in the series and throughout the year,” Philip Broberg said. “He gives us a lot of confidence back there.”

And the Blues don’t expect Binnington will change in Game 7 on Sunday, despite another night in which every move will be under a microscope — much like in 2019 when Winnipeg’s “White Out” crowd chanted: “You look nervous!”

“With goalies, I find some embrace it and some don’t,” Schenn said. “Usually, the good ones enjoy the moment. Whether they’re chanting about my brother and me, ‘Luke is better’ or whatever, that’s stuff that you laugh at. It’s something where you have fun with it, and you’re going to look back and enjoy those pressure-packed situations.”

No doubt, they say, Binnington will be locked in.

“It’s Binner, right?” Broberg said. “We’re all excited for it.”

(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

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