Binnington building off 4 Nations Face-Off heroics for streaking Blues

The “great experience” of winning the gold medal has given his confidence a bit of boost, Binnington said.

“I guess that would carry some significance with positivity and good energy,” he said after Monday’s morning skate. “At the same time, I know from experience that’s it’s a tough league.

“My mindset, personally, is just to continue to stay in the moment and keep building every single day because you never know what’s going to happen, so you can’t really rely on something like that. But at the same time, I think you can carry that with it.”

He’s also changed one piece of equipment since returning from the tournament.

“I’ve been wearing white pads. Before I was switching back and forth with blue and white pads,” he said with a smile.

The Blues went into the clash with the league-leading Jets (52-21-4) holding the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 93 points (43-28-7), two ahead of the idle Minnesota Wild.

He and Hofer have been rotating to keep fresh and both have benefitted from the play in front of them, Binnington said.

“I think on the best teams, everybody is going to have a chance to step up and we need everyone at different times,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun just getting to know (Hofer) and work with him. We bounce stuff off each other. He’s a great goalie.

“But it’s really is everyone on the team. Guys are coming in and out of the lineup. Coaching staff, preparation, communication – it’s really a well-run machine right now.”

The team’s surge to the playoffs has brought up comparisons to the 2018-19 season, when then-rookie Binnington got his first start of the season on Jan. 7 when the Blues were at the bottom of the league standings.

He went 16-3-1 in his first 20 games and finished the regular season with a 24-5-1 mark. He then started all 26 playoff games as the Blues captured the franchise’s only Stanley Cup with a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins in Game 7.

“I think we’re a team that needs all four lines, six (defencemen) and both goalies bringing good energy and just doing our job, everyone doing their parts,” Binnington, 31, said.

“I think that’s the similarity I see. From our fourth line being so reliable and creating energy when we need it, our top two, three lines finding ways to get offence and then our special teams is coming along nicely.”

Blues leading-scorer Robert Thomas, one of a handful of players left from that Stanley Cup roster, said Binnington’s confidence has been growing the past few years.

“Any time in the last bunch of years we’re in the playoffs, he’s been a big reason why and a big reason we’re a threatening team in the playoffs,” Thomas said. “He’s a guy that rises to the occasion.

“It’s hard to compare to 2019. We won then, but we’ve got a long way to go to win now. If you look at the way we’re playing, the time of year we’re playing this way, sure it might compare, but we’re a younger team.

“We’re more hungry and I’m excited to see where that goes.”

There’s been another big change in Binnington’s life since his rookie season that may also account for his well-being on and off the ice.

He married Canadian actress Cristine Prosperi in 2023 and they have an eight-month-old son, Johnny.

“It simplified it to family and hockey work and getting your rest when you can,” Binnington said.

“It’s definitely created a love I’ve never felt before in our family and in our life.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2025.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Binnington building off 4 Nations Face-Off heroics for streaking Blues

This Week in Flyers

This Week in Flyers

Our Community