Jordan Binnington's future and a potential trade: a new solution is now emerging

Jordan Binnington's next deal with the St. Louis Blues might come with a demotion attached.

That's the word out this week from Jeremy Rutherford, who reported on the Athletic Hockey Show that Binnington could sign again in St. Louis.

But the catch is real. If it happens, Rutherford says it's as a backup, and it's a short term deal.

That's a rough turn for a goalie who's worn the number one jersey in St. Louis for the better part of a decade.

Binnington posted a 12 and 40 record in 40 games this season, with an 0.875 save percentage and one shutout.

Those numbers don't scream starter. They barely scream backup, depending who you ask.

He's still carrying a 6,000,000 dollar cap hit at age 33, which makes any short-term, reduced-role deal an awkward negotiation for both sides.

Alexander Steen's goaltending math already favors Joel Hofer

Joel Hofer, meanwhile, has quietly taken over the net in St. Louis. He went 21 and 46 in games played this year, with a 0.909 save percentage and six shutouts.

Six shutouts to Binnington's one. That's not a subtle gap. That's a coach and a front office watching two very different seasons unfold in the same crease.

GM Steen has to weigh loyalty against production here, and production is not close.

Jim Montgomery has already leaned harder into Hofer as the season wore on, and the numbers back that decision up.

The Blues finished 37-33-12 with 86 points, sitting 23rd overall and fifth in their division. A minus-27 goal differential doesn't help Binnington's case either.

They're playing better lately. A 6-3-1 mark over their last 10 games and a four-game win streak show life late.

Here's the take. Bringing Binnington back on a short-term backup deal only makes sense if St. Louis is genuinely done building around him, and Steen hasn't said that out loud.

Is this a graceful bridge to retirement in a St. Louis sweater, or a slow public negotiation designed to lower his price? Nobody's confirmed which one yet.

Free agency conversations like this rarely stay quiet for long. Expect more reporting to surface before St. Louis makes anything official.