On the very last day of July 2018, I wrote about a fresh opportunity for Jordan Binnington.
https://ukhockeyfan.wordpress.com/2018/07/31/fresh-start-in-san-antonio-jordan-binnington/
The St. Louis Blues finally affiliated themselves permanently with an AHL team following a tempestuous and ultimately truncated relationship with Chicago Wolves.
It was with San Antonio Rampage where Binnington flourished after the goaltender had penned a one-year, two-way contract with the Blues in the summer.
He proceeded to post a 11-4 record, a .927Sv% and three shutouts before being called up in December, albeit in not the best of circumstances.
St. Louis were rock bottom of the standings, confidence was at an all-time low and inconsistent goaltending was a huge part of the overall problem.
It was an opportunity Binnington grabbed with both hands and some.
The 25 year old fittingly marked his full NHL debut with a 25 save shutout of the Philadelphia Flyers and that set the tone for what was to follow.
A 24-5-1 record which included five shutouts whilst posting a .927Sv% helped propel the Blues into the playoffs.
On just three occasions did the goaltender give up more than three goals as he gave his struggling team-mates a chance to win every time he took to the ice.
The almost unthinkable happened as St. Louis continued to ride the surge of this wave created by their rookie goaltender into the post-season.
The vaunted Winnipeg Jets were taken down in six games, Dallas defeated in seven and San Jose again in six meant the Blues were heading to the Stanley Cup final against all the odds with virtually nobody outside the city giving them a cat in hells chance of winning it all.
Surely the gnarly and experienced Boston Bruins would be a step too far?
They almost were, during a seven game encounter which ebbed and flowed and momentum switched between the two teams with both holding a series lead but unable to press home their advantage.
Game Seven in Boston was the perfect time to take stock of what had passed before.
From being a highly touted prospect in 2011 which resulted in Binnington being drafted 88th overall by St. Louis, to beginning his professional career in the ECHL and then toiling away in the AHL including being sent out on loan (to Providence ironically) without seemingly looking likely to break the NHL anytime soon.
Binnington was far from perfect during the 2019 Finals but he came up with the strong performances when ultimately required.
A 32 save performance in game seven enabled St. Louis to lift the cup for the first time in their history and Binnington became the first rookie goaltender to win sixteen games in a single playoff campaign.
A remarkable story born of opportunity and hard work in the minors but the bigger message is never give up despite what circumstances might be stalling your progress.
Many goaltenders, highly touted or not, graft away in the minor leagues without ever receiving their chance in the NHL.
The stars truly aligned for the Canadian native who recently took the Stanley Cup to his hometown of Richmond , Ontario.
The day after, Binnington penned a two-year contract with St. Louis worth just shy of nine million dollars.
There’s still much to prove for the goaltender, that this wasn’t a half season flash in the pan that cannot be replicated but he’s more than earned the shot of continuing to prove his doubters wrong.
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