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Good with the Goalie Tandem?

May 28, 2021, 11:58 AM ET [15 Comments]
John Gove
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Many theories surround the appropriate way to construct a successful hockey team. For me, I tend to lean towards the “build from the net out” mentality. Yes, you need players that can put the puck in the back of the net; however, if you fail to prevent the opposition from doing the same, all of that goal-scoring runs the risk of becoming meaningless. Solid (not necessarily lights-out netminding) is necessary to produce wins at the NHL level consistently.

The 2021 offseason looks to be a busy one for the St. Louis Blues. General Manager Doug Armstrong will exercise his due diligence, inspecting every aspect of the roster and identifying ways to improve the team ahead of the next season. Of course, he will dedicate more attention to some areas than others, but you can bet the house that Armstrong will leave no stone unturned.

One aspect of the team he might be able to glance over quickly is the situation in goal. Currently, St. Louis is looking at the same goalie tandem of Jordan Binnington and Ville Husso for next season. Of course, Binnington’s new six-year deal worth $36 million kicks in. Husso, on the other hand, enters year two of his very reasonable $1.5 million contract.

Though Binnington’s numbers took a slight decline compared to the 2019-20 campaign, the former third-round pick still put together a good 2020-21 season, especially when you consider what was happening in front of him. In his rookie season, Husso saw action in 17 games, starting in 15. His .893 SV% and 3.20 GAA is nothing to swoon over. However, he put together some strong games, showing signs of growth and progression.

The starting goalie situation is set in stone for St. Louis. Binnington is the guy and likely will receive much opposition to that fact. Questions surround Husso as the backup, though. Yes, one can look at this past season and predict that he will make the appropriate next steps in his development and thrive in that role. Still, his sample size is minimum, and the Blues will be banking on many unknowns. For a team looking to get back into Stanley Cup contention and maximize the talent on their aging core, will that be good enough?

The best initial tactic for Armstrong is to gain awareness of his other options, at least. If the organization decides against Husso, which I’m not suggesting they should, they are likely searching for a backup with a lot more experience. Additionally, Armstrong would probably address the need through free agency. Burning assets on a backup is not the best plan of action for a franchise that may use the trade market to improve other positions.

Unfortunately, the list of probable free-agent netminders is far less than spectacular. For now, names such as Tuuka Rask and Pekka Rinne are available, in theory. However, questions surrounding their futures in the game exist. One would imagine that someone like Freddie Andersen or Antti Raanta will command a bit more money than St. Louis is willing to commit or even search for a starting role elsewhere. Maybe a name like Jonathan Bernier intrigues the Blues, but he will be on many teams’ lists this offseason.

One name to keep tabs on is Henrik Lundqvist when and if he is cleared to play. Assuming he wants to return, pairing him with Binnington, in theory, should provide stability in the net. Of course, if Husso looks ready to take on more, the Blues give it to him.

Maybe Lundqvist is not the guy, but the kind of netminder St. Louis needs a guy to stabilize the goaltending ranks beyond Binnington and Husso. If one of them suffers an injury or Husso’s play declines, they need to have a reliable option to fall back on.

The Blues do not want to commit more money than they have to at the goalie position. It should not be about replacing Husso. In the best-case scenario, he transforms into a very cost-effective and reliable option for the season. Still, they need to put some backup plans in place just in case it doesn’t pan out that way.
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