How in the Blue Hell is Jordan Binnington the best Canada goaltender?

[JKG33]

He was very good tonight. I thought he was pretty poor the other three games.

Honestly, he outplayed Hellebuyck tonight much like Hellebuyck outplayed him last Saturday. And I think that was difference in both games.

I was just thinking before the game winning goal that the Blues actually beat the Jets en route to the cup back in 2019. I had forgotten all about that this tournament. I don’t remember it being brought up how these two have faced off in the playoffs before.

I mean to be fair it doesn't take much to outduel Hellebuyck in a game that matters.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

The complaining about him after he let up two goals in game 1 was so stupid. He stood on his head at times. Dudes pretty clutch.

 

[Eegs]

Winnington.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Beyond the game-savers at the end, his ability to handle and move the puck was elite tonight too.

 

[Bleedred]

I mean to be fair it doesn't take much to outduel Hellebuyck in a game that matters.

Agreed.

I like Hellebuyck, but I’ve heard way too much over the last little while that he’s the best goalie in the league.

Best goalie in the league this year and best goalie in the league overall are two different things. He’s certainly been one of the best goalies in the league since he’s entered, but you can’t really call him THE best.

Bob was a pretty disasterful playoff goalie with literally no playoff success until he was close to his mid 30s, so the best could be yet to come for Hellebuyck. But it hasn’t happened for him in his career yet.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I'm at risk of a full on ban for calling out some absolute idiots on this site. I'd prefer to stay.. In Cooper and Binnington I trust. There are some people that simply should never post about hockey again on here. Find a new hobby.

 

[Bleedred]

Never been a big fan of Binnington, but he won me over. MVP for Canada.

MVP for Canada in this game? YES. Absolutely.

MVP for Canada in this tournament? This was honestly his first particularly good game of the tournament.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Binnington bumped his SV% after tonight to .907SV%

 

[1specter]

Bro owns TD Garden in clinching games.

 

[Tryblot]

Agreed.

I like Hellebuyck, but I’ve heard way too much over the last little while that he’s the best goalie in the league.

Best goalie in the league this year and best goalie in the league overall are two different things. He’s certainly been one of the best goalies in the league since he’s entered, but you can’t really call him THE best.

Bob was a pretty disasterful playoff goalie with literally no playoff success until he was close to his mid 30s, so the best could be yet to come for Hellebuyck. But it hasn’t happened for him in his career yet.

Watching the blues play the jets in 2019 and seeing hellebuyck completely shit the bed, I have always felt he was overrated since.

People can say binnington is overrated all they want, but when the games truly matter he shows up.

 

[Coffee]

Binnington bumped his SV% after tonight to .907SV%

And he also bumped you into eating crow

 

[rumrokh]

I'm here for a wing or drumstick of crow as well. Felt Binnington up until tonight had Luongo vibes, where he might be good enough to win but you wouldn't feel comfortable.
In fairness to that, he had some weird stumbles throughout the game but he showed up in spades when it mattered for sure. Liked how he didn't get into any extracurriculars and really played a standard cool-headed goalie's game.

Should have been game MVP over McDavid honestly.

Something that's been gone since he got medicated quite a while ago. It's funny how supportive people are of players' mental health except when they've already made up a narrative.

 

[Peiskos]

He was absolutely lights out tonight, led the Blues to a cup in 2019 and looked like he was in that form. Canadians always underestimate our goalies, even cup winning ones, I mean we even had Hill who won a cup with VGK, but sure we had weak goaltending, people always say that and then it ends with a Canadian goalie with a gold medal around his neck more times than not.

 

[1989]

Something that's been gone since he got medicated quite a while ago. It's funny how supportive people are of players' mental health except when they've already made up a narrative.

Believe it or not, not everyone follows your team on a regular basis. It's great for him that he sought mental health assistance. I just thought he was a hot head a la Emery or some such, which isn't exactly a medical diagnosis or one requiring treatment.

It's not the soapbox moment you think it is.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

...I'll eat crow for his 2nd half of the game tonight...he still gave up two that were stoppable pucks tonight as well...clutch when it counted, but I don't want him in the crease for the Olympics...unfortunately, he probably will be...

 

[rumrokh]

Believe it or not, not everyone follows your team on a regular basis. It's great for him that he sought mental health assistance. I just thought he was a hot head a la Emery or some such, which isn't exactly a medical diagnosis or one requiring treatment.

It has nothing to do with you, personally, or "my team." There's probably a reason you know about one and not the other. Comments about Binnington's behavior are common and comments and coverage providing context are not.

 

[DuklaNation]

One team had a Stanley Cup champion goalie, the other did not.

 

[mab894]

So many godawful takes in this thread. Embarrassing tbh but Blues fans knew Binner would shut you up. What an epic performance

 

[1989]

It has nothing to do with you, personally, or "my team." There's probably a reason you know about one and not the other. Comments about Binnington's behavior are common and comments and coverage providing context are not.

Okay, sure. But again, most fans of the League aren't going to zero in on knowledge about individual players on opposing teams that they might watch once or twice a season if they're playing against their home team. Furthermore, it's not like the wording in your reply is particularly educational; and a lot of it feels pretty passive aggressive.

If you want to see change about the perception of a player, it's not really up to you or me but the player themselves. Their performances, plus the surrounding media coverage, does a lot more about it, like it did tonight especially on an international stage. The negative perception is also because of the same process unfurling the other way from past incidents.

And at the end of the day, if Binnington (for example) doesn't want the public at large to know about his ongoing treatment, I'm not one to pry or speculate. Let the man enjoy his success in peace.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Big Game Jordy Winnington was incredible in this one. f***ing dialed.

 

[JKG33]

Watching the blues play the jets in 2019 and seeing hellebuyck completely shit the bed, I have always felt he was overrated since.

People can say binnington is overrated all they want, but when the games truly matter he shows up.

I thoroughly enjoyed giving it to my group chat full of Jets homer friends tonight that Binnington > Hellebuyck.

Binnington reminds me a lot of a poor man's Quick. Not always the most consistent regular season goalie (but still one of the better starters in the league), yet there's few goalies I'd take ahead of him in a winner take all situation.

Hellebuyck meanwhile is a fraud in the same territory as Matthews, Marner, EP, etc. He can win all the regular season hardware he wants, but until he actually carries that into the playoffs it's meaningless.

He's been outplayed now by Fleury (who everyone loved to say was shit), Binnington (another one who most people hate), Price (the only forgivable one on this list), Brossoit (his backup lol), Georgiev (LMFAO) and now Binnington again.

Something that's been gone since he got medicated quite a while ago. It's funny how supportive people are of players' mental health except when they've already made up a narrative.

Its funny, fans of whatever team Laine is on this week love to roll out the excuses for the mental struggles he has. But it's open season to shit on Binnington. I guess everyone hates a winner, and not the "loveable" loser

 

[Peiskos]

Unless there is a standout goalie in 2026, Binner should be the favourite to start for Canada at 2026 Olympics, we've seen now how dominant and solid he can be in big game moments, from the 2019 Blues Cup run to this, Canada's net is his at this point.

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

I'm at risk of a full on ban for calling out some absolute idiots on this site. I'd prefer to stay.. In Cooper and Binnington I trust. There are some people that simply should never post about hockey again on here. Find a new hobby.

It was great to see Binnington and Cooper hugging it out right after the game. That was an intensive hug and Cooper kept chatting to Binnington who was just leaning on his shoulder. You could just feel the "thanks for believing in me, coach"-vibes, goosebumbs moment.

 

[rumrokh]

Okay, sure. But again, most fans of the League aren't going to zero in on knowledge about individual players on opposing teams that they might watch once or twice a season if they're playing against their home team. Furthermore, it's not like the wording in your reply is particularly educational; and a lot of it feels pretty passive aggressive.

If you want to see change about the perception of a player, it's not really up to you or me but the player themselves. Their performances, plus the surrounding media coverage, does a lot more about it, like it did tonight especially on an international stage. The negative perception is also because of the same process unfurling the other way from past incidents.

And at the end of the day, if Binnington (for example) doesn't want the public at large to know about his ongoing treatment, I'm not one to pry or speculate. Let the man enjoy his success in peace.

I think you're confused about what passive aggressive means.

I wasn't attempting to educate, and it's weird that you'd suggest my statements should be educational, given that you also say it's not up to me to change perceptions. Seems like you're just confused about some kind of assumed motive on my part that simply isn't there. I apologize for not being clearer to steer you away from something like that (see, THAT's passive aggressive ).

Kidding aside I don't think you have bad intentions. I didn't in any way accuse you of malice. You simply knew some things and were ignorant of some things. I made a point about the larger nature of that common ignorance.

Specifically, though, Binnington has talked about it publicly. And, again, I don't expect every last person to know. It's not binary and it's weird to me that you keep returning to that.

I don't necessarily agree about your opinion that it's up to Binnington to change perceptions. Perceptions are formed in a lot of ways that someone in his position cannot account for. But I don't have any interest in getting into that.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

He still isn’t even close.