Just last week, Elliotte Friedman made something very clear about the Edmonton Oilers’ approach to goaltending this season that they are not making a lateral move. Not this year and not with the cap as tight as it is.
If Edmonton does anything in net, it will be a major upgrade and only a major upgrade, as in a real one and a proven starter. In a league where contenders are frozen by the cap and reliable goalies rarely move midseason, that narrows the list dramatically.
And somewhere at the very top of that list sits St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington.
Why Binnington fits Edmonton’s needs better than anyone available
When you look beyond the surface numbers, the logic is quite obvious. Edmonton cannot afford to take on a goalie who might be a starter. They need someone who has been a starter, carried a team and delivered in pressure.
Binnington has done exactly that from his Stanley Cup run to his recent high-leverage international play.
Analysts like Steve Valiquette have repeatedly talked about how Binnington’s strengths fit Edmonton’s defensive system, even going as far as saying he could have saved double-digit goals above Stuart Skinner this season.
Even in a down year for St. Louis, his profile that is aggressive and skilled at handling east-west plays fits exactly what Edmonton lacks.
Another element that keeps coming up behind the scenes is how much respect Connor McDavid has for Binnington, dating back to the 4 Nations tournament. Binnington’s performance and competitiveness stood out on the international stage and McDavid was openly complimentary about how difficult he is to beat when he’s locked in.
And Binnington, knowing exactly how close Edmonton has been to breaking through in recent years, would almost certainly feel the appeal of playing behind McDavid and a Cup contender.
Edmonton is on Binnington’s no-trade list, but not all is lost
This week, however, a new wrinkle came up. Insider Andy Strickland reported that the Oilers are one of the 18 teams on Binnington’s no-trade list.
At first glance, that sounds like a dead end. But context matters.
Multiple insiders have suggested that Binnington would be open to waiving for the right situation and a chance to go to a legitimate contender usually qualifies.
The Blues have spiraled near the bottom of the Western Conference, and Binnington at 32-years-old carrying a .878 save percentage and three more years at a $6M cap hit suddenly looks less like a franchise player. For the first time since the 2019 Cup run turned him into a household name, the idea of a “change of scenery” seems less theoretical perhaps.
Despite his ugly surface stats, Binnington’s playstyle aligns surprisingly well with Edmonton’s defensive structure. Analyst Steve Valiquette, one of the league’s most respected goalie evaluators, recently laid out the fit in stark terms:
“In the Oilers’ system, Binnington may have saved 16 more goals than Skinner this season. Sixteen.”
And Valiquette went even further suggesting that if Edmonton actually called, Binnington might rethink his trade protections altogether:
“A change of scenery for Binnington. That would be something I think he would… I get the sense he would probably welcome it, especially if it was going to go to Edmonton.”
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Edmonton’s cap reality means the target must be perfect
This is the most important part of the equation. Edmonton’s cap situation leaves no room for mistakes.
A half-measure doesn’t help them and neither does a 1B help them.
They can only justify acquiring a true, established big-game starter and Binnington is one of the extremely few who checks every necessary box with proven playoff pedigree, experience carrying a team—a style that suits Edmonton’s defensive demands and perhaps mutual respect with their franchise player.
Even with the Oilers appearing on his no-trade list, Jordan Binnington remains one of the most realistic and high-impact options for Edmonton if they decide to swing big in goal.
He’s the type of goalie that fits the “major upgrade or nothing” philosophy Friedman described and the type of player whose presence both stylistically and mentally, aligns with what Edmonton’s core believes they need.
Whether it happens or not will depend on Binnington’s willingness to waive and the Blues’ appetite to move him but in a season where the Oilers can’t afford half-steps, this remains one of the most fascinating goalie storylines to watch.
