Jordan Binnington

[Ranksu]

I love what Binny has done, but I can't give a season-long award to a guy who will play less than 35 games when there is a candidate who has played as well as Pettersson has. Even for a goalie, who isn't expected to play 82, less than 35 games just isn't a big enough sample size for me. Especially since his start total will likely be 29 or 30.

Pettersson is just under a point per game player through 68 games. His drop in production after the 50 game mark illustrates why I don't think it is fair to give Binny the award based on 30 starts. Part of the difficulty of being an NHL rookie is adjusting to the grind in the best league in the world. Pettersson's 65 points in 68 games take the effect of that grind into consideration. Taking just his first 50 games into consideration, he had 54 points. 35 points in his first 30. While there has been a drop in production, he has maintained a 75+ point pace, which is pretty damn remarkable.

Binny has also seen a dip in production from his other-worldy numbers, sporting a .913 over his last 10 starts. That's absolutely not bad, but it suggests that he would likely be posting 'good-but-not-elite' numbers over a 50+ game sample size.

FWIW, my Calder top 5 is identical to Halak Ness Monster's. Binny's great play through 30 games was enough to overcome the other rookies, but not a kid who is just shy of PPG in his first NHL season and doing it with a pretty underwhelming supporting cast.

Shame we don't have 'not like' button

 

[MissouriMook]

Shame we don't have 'not like' button

 

[ezcreepin]

I no longer think he’s a fluke. I’m now sold on him. It took me a while to be convinced, but i am now.

Cautiously optimistic he can repeat this next season.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I wish Thomas would cite his source. I don't have any reason to doubt that he got league/team confirmation, but that is such an odd interpretation of that rule.

Binnington got credit for playing in the Calgary game on 12/16 and the Pittsburgh game on 12/29 by playing at least 30 minutes in each game, even though he didn't start either. That was 2 of the 28 he needed to avoid being a Group 6 [unrestricted] free agent at season's end and instead be RFA. It's about playing at least 30:00 in a game, not whether you start a game.

 

[DeuceNine]

the only time he doesn't seem very mobile is on wrap-arounds...he's been burned a couple of times, and seemed fortunate to get all the way back across on a couple of more occasions. I've been pleased with his movement in the crease (or lack thereof), but man, I hold my breath when a winger comes bearing in on him then tries to take it behind the net for a stuff-in.

His crease pushes and getting back into position on the push is a little slow. Faster, smarter teams might notice this and force rebounds off pads when he's out of position.

 

[Brian39]

At this point, he's got 28 NHL starts this season, in addition to the 2 relief appearances with 30+ mins TOI. Which, I believe counts as 30 games played.

So, as curious as the sourcing may be, it's irrelevant now - he's an RFA at the end of the season, regardless of how the rule is interpreted.

Completely irrelevant, but something that my lawyer brain is curious about. He is absolutely, without question an RFA no matter what.

 

[Brian39]

Binnington got credit for playing in the Calgary game on 12/16 and the Pittsburgh game on 12/29 by playing at least 30 minutes in each game, even though he didn't start either. That was 2 of the 28 he needed to avoid being a Group 6 [unrestricted] free agent at season's end and instead be RFA. It's about playing at least 30:00 in a game, not whether you start a game.

I understand that it is about minutes played (not starts), but that isn't the distinction Thomas was making.

Apparently, the number was 26 games of 30+ minutes and not 28. So those 2 relief appearances were 2 of the 26 needed, not 2 of 28. According to Thomas, any player under contract during the lockout shortened season has that 28 number prorated down to 26, whether or not they were on an NHL roster that season or not. That seems like a weird proration since it ensures that the actual target number is the unwritten prorated figure for about 75% of the life of the CBA.

In the end, this no longer matters. Binny has hit both marks and will be an RFA. It's just a weird CBA quirk.

 

[Brian39]

Shame we don't have 'not like' button

Wonderful analysis.

 

[carter333167]

He has been a large part of this team's resurgence.

 

[Stealth JD]

Wonderful analysis.

i think it was a Swede-hating thing.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

In the end, this no longer matters. Binny has hit both marks and will be an RFA. It's just a weird CBA quirk.

And by weird, you mean stupid. I have missed that in the CBA all these years, too.

Well, good for the NHLPA. At least Fehr was fighting for the real pressing issues affecting players, along with getting them high quality bath towels. Maybe next time around, he can get better scheduling to avoid the compressed schedules that we h- ........ oh, that's right, Fehr's solution was to get guys a guaranteed 5 days off and compress the rest of the schedule even more. Dumbass.

 

[Ranksu]

 

[bluesXwinXtheXcup]

Completely irrelevant, but something that my lawyer brain is curious about. He is absolutely, without question an RFA no matter what.

I believe it was Andy Strickland that originally said it was 26 games due to the shortened season.

 

[Meatball]

He's got my vote for the Calder. But I might be a little biased.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

Considering he's almost the sole reason the Blues are making the playoffs this year I would not be shocked if he won the Calder. The NHL typically favors offensive players for the Calder (only 16 awarded to goalies since 1933), however look at the voting and stat lines for 1994:

Martin Brodeur, 60%, 27-11-8 2.40/.915% with 3 shutouts
Jason Arnott, 50%, 78GP 33G-35A-68P +1

Now compare to this year:

Jordan Binnington, TBD%, 23-5-1 1.89/.927% with 5 shutouts
Elias Petterson, TBD%, 70GP 27G-38A-65P +3

He's still a dark horse since he was a mid season call-up, but there are three other factors that I think will help his case:

1. Petterson was 'the man' the first half of the season, but has kind of fallen off the radar (press coverage wise), whereas Winnington is 'the man' now. 'Now' matters more when voting is done next week.

2. Petterson's team will not make the playoffs, whereas Binnington is almost the sole reason the Blues went from 'worst to first'.

3. Petterson set a Canucks record for points as a rookie, but Binnington set a Blues record for wins as a rookie. I think the latter will carry more weight at voting time.

I think there is a legit case for him to win the Calder. Shame he did not start the season, because then I think Vezina and Hart might have also been in reach (if he had maintained those numbers).

 

[Meatball]

Amazing that we're even having this conversation. Hope he wins it.

 

[542365]

Still think Petterson is going to win it, but Binnington will almost certainly be nominated, which is still pretty cool for a guy that wasn't really on the radar for half of the season.

 

[Majorityof1]

Still think Petterson is going to win it, but Binnington will almost certainly be nominated, which is still pretty cool for a guy that wasn't really on the radar for half of the season.

We are talking about a guy who wasn't even on the radar at all coming into the season. Every other Calder candidate, their teams knew they would be making a push for the roster and had a real chance to be special, if not this year than next. Peterrsson, Dahlin, and Johannson were all locks for the roster coming into the year and expected to play big minutes (except Johnsson who was expected to get 3rd line minutes due to the stocked team). Hart, Tkachuk and Heiskenen were highly rated, and if not expected to be good this year than definitely next. On the flip side, Binnington was an afterthought, 4th on the depth chart and unsure if he would ever make the NHL, much less be a difference maker.

Yet despite all that, he is arguably the biggest difference maker, and likely to finish top 3 in voting. That is a pretty cool out of nowhere story.

 

[Meatball]

I know the Calder is based on regular season play, but I'd like to think a deep playoff run would further influence things in his favor.

 

[Kreegz2]

I know the Calder is based on regular season play, but I'd like to think a deep playoff run would further influence things in his favor.

Nope, the voting is done next week.

 

[ZigZagBluesFan]

I was thinking 'no chance' but the guy is at the top of the leaderboard in GAA and very close to the top in SV% for every qualified NHL goaltender, rookie or veteran. He's been a key player on a playoff team too.

Petersson has had a great rookie season, but compared to the rest of the league, he's not even close to the discussion of top performers.

I still expect Petersson to get it, but I can see the argument for Binnington despite playing less games.

 

[Brockon]

I think that Pettersson takes the Calder because despite stellar numbers, Binnington has only played in ~30 games.

Had Binny played 40+ starts, I think it's a coin flip between him and Pettersson. 50+ starts, the Calder is his.

 

[Ranksu]

I think that Pettersson takes the Calder because despite stellar numbers, Binnington has only played in ~30 games.

Had Binny played 40+ starts, I think it's a coin flip between him and Pettersson. 50+ starts, the Calder is his.

With 50+ Binny woulf get Vezina

 

[Spektre]

I found this thread and thought there's no need to start a new one. Binnington or Winnington deserves his own thread at this point.

Binnington has started 18 games while playing in 20. He's 15-2-1, with a .936 save % and a 1.61 gaa, while tacking on 5 shutouts.

The Blues lost Scott Stevens due to signing Shanahan. They traded Shanahan for Pronger. They traded Pronger for Brewer. They traded Brewer to TB for the 2011 3rd round pick. The 3rd round pick was Binnington.

Stevens is one of my all time favorite players and I wasn't a happy camper when the fiasco went down resulting in the Blues losing him. In the game of hockey things seem to work themselves out most of the time on the ice. Do the Blues finally get a franchise goalie, after suffering through so many and, it's tied directly to the Stevens fiasco?? Is Binnington hockey's way of paying back St. Louis after such a horrible management decision at the time? Probably not but it's funny they are linked.

We can all send a thank you to Scott Stevens now