Suggested Trade Sends Blues’ Jordan Binnington to the Panthers

The St. Louis Blues have some decisions to make this summer. Should they keep all three of their first-round picks? Should they move on from Jordan Kyrou? They also have to figure out what the future holds for goaltender Jordan Binnington. Their Stanley Cup hero is linked to multiple teams seeking a goaltender this summer, including the Florida Panthers. Today, I am going to construct a trade between the two teams involving the 2019 Stanley Cup Champion.

Panthers May Need a Goalie

Sergei Bobrovsky has had a great run in Florida, but his time there may be coming to an end. The 37-year-old is an unrestricted free agent, but he wants another long-term contract worth in the ballpark of $42 million, which could carry a seasonal cap hit of roughly $6 million. At 37, a long-term contract is a risk for any team, especially at such a high price. Furthermore, Bobrovsky is coming off a rough 2025-26 season, in which he posted a .877 save percentage (SV%) alongside a 3.07 goals-against average (GAA). These were his lowest numbers since the 2011-12 season.

The Panthers should be skeptical of bringing back Bobrovsky, but this is a team that, prior to this season, had played in the Stanley Cup Final in three straight seasons. They hope to return to the Final in 2026-27, but will need an experienced goalie to lead them. Connor Hellebuyck is a name that has been mentioned in trade talks alongside Binnington.

Hellebuyck may have won the Vezina Trophy three times and the Hart Trophy once, but Binnington has the better track record in big games. Binnington has a .909 SV% and a 2.70 GAA in the playoffs, while Hellebuyck has posted a .903 SV% and a 2.90 GAA. Those numbers are not too far apart, but Binnington has one thing Hellebuyck has not even come close to: the Stanley Cup.

Blues Need to Move On From Binnington

This is hard to say. Binnington has done so much for the organization. It would be great to see him wear the Blue Note for his whole career.

However, it does not make sense to hang on to Binnington. Joel Hofer has emerged as the goaltender of the future for the Blues, with a strong 2025-26 season to support the claim. Hofer got the majority of the starts and will do so again in 2026-27. As a result, Binnington’s role with the Blues is much smaller.

Furthermore, Binnington is a free agent after the 2026-27 season. Unless he is willing to take on a smaller salary to remain with the Blues as the backup, the Blues will not re-sign him. He will move on to another team.

If Binnigton’s departure seems more of a certainty, and it does feel that way, why not trade him to get something in return as opposed to letting him walk in free agency and get nothing? Doug Armstrong has done a great job of trading assets for future capital. As his days as the Blues’ general manager wind down, he should make one more big trade to better the organization’s future.

Proposing a Trade

When constructing this suggested trade, I had help from Panthers’ writer Joey Ganzi. Joey helped me during the regular season when I wrote a piece suggesting a trade for Justin Faulk to the Panthers. I thank Joey once again for his help and highly encourage everyone to read his great Panthers content.

Also, it is important to keep in mind that Binnington does have a 10-team no-trade list. I am assuming, for the purposes of this article, that Binnington either approves a trade or the Panthers are not on his no-trade list.

What the Blues Should Ask For

The Blues are trading an elite goalie who has won a Stanley Cup and performs on the big stage. Negotiations start with asking the Panthers for the first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. This would be a significant acquisition for the Blues, who would then hold four first-round picks next week. This would give them the flexibility to either trade some of them for NHL-ready players or use all four to bring in prospects. Furthermore, the Blues would be picking in the top 10 with the Panthers’ pick and would have three picks in the top 15.

The Blues should also ask for a prospect in return. A name I see in the Panthers’ system that I like is Michael Benning. Benning profiles as a top-four defenseman. He is an offensive player and has put up points throughout his hockey career. He played 18 games with the Panthers in 2025-26, recording 18 points. He ended the season playing on the Panthers’ top pair.

Adding Benning would give the Blues some flexibility with Colton Parayko. The Blues nearly traded Parayko at the trade deadline this season, but he vetoed the trade. Perhaps the organization is still open to moving him? If they do, Benning is someone who could theoretically slot into his spot on the second pairing.

What the Panthers Should Ask For

The Panthers are going to get Binnington in this trade, but they are going to ask for a little more. The Panthers do not have a first-round pick in 2027 or 2028, so if they moved their pick this season, they will not have one again until 2029. It is a price worth paying for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

However, the Panthers will look to add a little bit of stability in this year’s draft. They should ask the Blues for one of their third-round picks in this year’s draft. The Blues have three picks in the third round. Furthermore, they have two in the fourth and fifth rounds. This is on top of having four picks in the first round if this trade happens. They can afford to part with a third-round pick. In fact, they will give the Panthers their highest of the three picks, the 73rd overall pick, originally belonging to the San Jose Sharks.

The Panthers do not currently have a third-round pick. This would give them a pick in every round except the first. This is not a needle mover by any means, but the true needle mover in this deal is Binnington. The draft pick is just to help add some stability to their draft stock.

You may be wondering if the Panthers will want the Blues to retain any of Binnington’s $6 million cap hit. They likely do not need to worry about that. They have over $15 million in available cap at the moment, thanks to the cap rising this summer.

The Trade

Here is the full suggested trade between the Blues and Panthers:

• Panthers Receive:
  • Jordan Binnington (Florida takes on full salary)
  • 2026 third-round pick (originally from San Jose)
• Blues Receive:
  • 2026 first-round pick
  • Michael Benning

This trade benefits both teams. The Panthers get a goaltender to replace Bobrovsky, but also keep their Cup window open. The Blues add another first-round pick and an additional defensive prospect.

The season may be over, but the fun never stops! From suggested trades to coverage of the draft, there is much to talk about. Check in with The Hockey Writers as we cover it all!