Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Friday 30 august 2019
Blues goalie Jordan Binnington no longer flies under radar

TORONTO (AP) — Jordan "New respect level, for this in him.
Binnington used to fly under sure," Binnington said. "Be- "He's always been one of
the radar during his sum- ing back in Toronto, being the best, if not the best,
mer training. on the streets, it's really cool goalie in every league he's
But after a head-turning, talking to people and see- played in. ... Eventually
seemingly-out-of-nowhere ing the influence you had. people will see it and it will
rookie season capped by a I'm really happy with where show." Subban said.
Stanley Cup victory, those I'm at right now." That belief has helped Bin-
days are long gone for the That includes a two-year nington maneuver through
St. Louis Blues goalie. contract worth $8.8 million some difficult moments.
"It happened quickly, but he signed with Blues as a "There were down times,"
it's been great," he said restricted free agent after he said. "I realized my back
from BioSteel, an annual having to settle for three was against the wall and I
pre-training camp show- straight one-season pacts. had to work. No one's go-
case for NHL players and "You've got to understand ing to do it for me and I've
others. "It's been a long pro- the process and keep got to find my own way.
cess to get here, too." building and let the money You've got to be bold be-
Binnington, drafted by St. chase you," he said. cause fortune favors the
Louis in the third round in Malcolm Subban has bold." St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington trains at the 2019 Bio-
2011, started last season known Binnington since Binnington and the Blues Steel Pro Hockey Camp in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 26, 2019.
No. 4 of the depth chart. they were 15 and shared will take no one by surprise Associated Press
He had a solitary game of the crease for Canada at this season. It's the kind of
NHL experience before fi- the 2013 world junior hock- challenge Binnington has "It's not always going to be I'm not too worried about
nally getting his shot for a ey championship. The Ve- relished during a meteoric perfect," he said. "It's how proving stuff to anyone be-
struggling Blues team. gas Golden Knights back- rise eight years in the mak- you handle it. The tough- sides myself. I expect the
He proceeded to go an up sensed Binnington had ing. est will succeed and last. best."q
eye-popping 24-5-1 with a
.927 save percentage and
a 1.89 goals-against aver-
age. St. Louis went from last
place overall to the play-
offs.
But that was only the be-
ginning.
Binnington backstopped
the Blues through four post-
season rounds, getting
past Winnipeg, Dallas and
San Jose in the Western
Conference. Then St. Louis
downed the Boston Bruins
on the road in Game 7 of
the Cup final.
The 26-year-old has been a
regular at BioSteel, but he
never attracted the kind of
attention usually reserved
for Connor McDavid or Ty-
ler Seguin until this summer.
Seguin saw something in
the once no-name goalie
at previous camps.
"He doesn't get nervous,"
said Seguin, whose Stars
fell to the Blues in the sec-
ond round. "He's always
had that swag, no matter
what."
Binnington spent his time
toiling in the minors and ap-
preciates good words from
his workout partners.
"(Seguin) was one of the
first people to believe in
me around here (and in)
the hockey world," he
said. "Going against elite
athletes and elite players,
that's what it's about."
He says there was a differ-
ent vibe in the group this
summer.