St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer has won his last three starts and is in the NHL’s top 10 goaltenders this season because of his fantastic performance. Unlike his tandem counterpart, Jordan Binnington, who started the season with a 1-3-0 record, Hofer has been great, owning a 3-0-0 record in his last three games.
While the Blues are off to a good start, this season has answered some tough questions about who is best for the Blues’ future, including their goaltending situation. Let’s review what makes Hofer the best man for the Blues’ starting goaltender role.
Hofer Is Making Big-Time Saves
Last season, Hofer was in an inconsistent state of performance when he started his first three games, getting a full-time backup role for the first time in his career, and was a young goaltender. He started his first three games last season with a .912 save percentage (SV%) and made 93 saves, which wasn’t bad but showed he was not as ready as the Blues thought to handle more formidable challenges.
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It would not be a surprise if Hofer got the green light from head coach Drew Bannister to play a temporary starting role right now, considering Binnington is not in the proper form. In his last four games, he has made 98 saves on 110 shots, resulting in a .891 SV%. If this is a sign of Binnington’s decline, this may also be Hofer’s moment to show he can make the big saves to keep the Blues in winning form and allow fewer goals.
Hofer also had his first career shutout in the second of his first three games last season. Now, he has achieved the same thing, as he once again earned a shutout in his second start of the season against the New York Islanders on Oct. 17. However, his SV% is at a better starting rate in his first three starts than last season, with a .932 SV%. So far, he also has 96 saves in his first three games, including his last two in which he secured wins with 30 or more save performances.
Blues Let in Fewer Goals When Hofer Is the Starter
The stats are pretty clear: Hofer is letting in fewer goals, and the Blues are winning more games. While this may be complemented by the fact that the Blues’ offense is scoring more than they allow, it is also helpful that having a solid goaltender like Hofer is excellent for consistent production.
Hofer allowed seven goals on 103 shots in his last three games, resulting in a 2.32 goals-against average (GAA). Last season, it was much different for him in the first three games, with a 3.00 GAA, and he allowed nine goals on 102 shots. The most he’s allowed so far is four goals, and he still managed to win. He also ranks in the top 10 among NHL goaltenders this season in GAA.
Compared to Binnington in this stat line, Hofer is incredible, as Binnington has allowed 12 goals on 110 shots this season. Since Hofer has stopped the most shots and let in a lot less while doing so, it seems like the roles since the previous season have changed, and Hofer is shining as the go-to guy for the Blues.
His American Hockey League (AHL) career began with a 3.33 GAA in his first AHL season as a backup in 2020-21 for the Blues’ then-affiliate team, the Utica Comets. He finished his last season as a starter for the Springfield Thunderbirds with a 2.50 GAA, which was in the top 10 amongst AHL goalies in 2022-23.
Hofer Will Get the Higher Minutes Overall
Overall, it’s safe to say Hofer is on pace to take Binnington’s starting role. In the past, I had Binnington and Hofer as a possible tandem for this season, but it appears that Hofer has made a considerable change to his game and is going all in to be a starter. Hofer has been so good he’s notched an assist this season and made NHL history by becoming the first goalie to earn a shutout and an assist on the game’s only goal against the Islanders.
Hofer has already played 181 minutes compared to Binnington’s 237 minutes; even though it’s a significant difference, Hofer has proven that he can carry the load and will most likely get another chance to start considering Binnington’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 22.
