The St. Louis Blues are on a four-game losing streak. After making the playoffs last year, expectations heading into this season were higher. But with two weeks until the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, the Blues sit at the bottom of the Central Division. Here is what we should expect leading up to and after the Olympic break.
Binnington Post International Tournament Performance
Last season, Jordan Binnington was Team Canada’s starting goaltender for the 4 Nations Face-Off, despite his struggles leading up to the tournament, with a 15-19-4 record through 39 games, a .897 save percentage (SV%), a 2.89 goals-against average (GAA), and one shutout, sitting just outside the top 25 goalies in the league.
Related: Blues’ Standouts of the Week: Kyrou, Dvorsky, and the Power Play
After a stellar 31-save performance in which he allowed two goals in the 4 Nations Final against Team USA to win gold, Binnington’s game improved with the Blues. In 17 games after the tournament, he posted a 13-3-1 record, a .910 SV%, and a 2.23 GAA. The team had more confidence because of his play, and it’s one of the reasons they were considered a playoff contender by the end of the regular season.
Does that seem possible this season? Well, Binnington is just within the top 50 in goaltending stats. In 27 starts, he has an 8-14-6 record, with a .868 SV%, a 3.57 GAA, and a shutout. His most recent start was a loss to the Dallas Stars on Jan. 23, when he allowed three goals on 19 shots. This is far worse than last season’s performance ahead of the 4 Nations.
Binnington will have to improve if he wants to see any playing time for Canada at the Olympics, hockey’s biggest international stage. Hopefully, this tournament will kickstart his game with the Blues after the break.
Blues Need to Make Changes
The 2026 Trade Deadline lands less than a week after the gold medal game, which means the Blues have to start dealing if they want to make a playoff push. Last season, they made a big splash by acquiring Cam Fowler and a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-round pick.
This season, with Robert Thomas and captain Brayden Schenn‘s names being floated around the trade market, the Blues have some trade bait. Even Binnington could be made available, considering the team has a fallback option in Joel Hofer, who’s performed fairly well this season.
Thomas and Scheen seem most likely to be flipped for picks or players to fill key gaps before the deadline. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that the Blues are reportedly seeking a younger top-six forward, likely around 22 to 24 years old.
According to my The Hockey Writers colleague, Andrew Willis, the Blues should trade Schenn to the Vegas Golden Knights. In return, the Blues would receive forward Keegan Kolesar, a 2026 second-round pick, and forward Mateo Norbert. St. Louis would be adding a veteran presence and a promising prospect while shedding the remaining $6.5 million on Schenn’s deal this season, and avoiding paying $4.3 million next season and $4 million in 2027-28.
Likely Outcome After the Olympics
It seems the Blues don’t want to part with Binnington despite that his contract runs through next season. Management will likely keep him and hope his game improves significantly after the Olympic break.
However, we could see either Schenn or Thomas traded, maybe even packaged together in a deal. Right now, the team doesn’t have many options if they hope to make the playoffs. They either need to plan for the future with more top draft picks or find a player who can make a drastic difference in their performance heading into March.
