Team Canada version of Binnington playing at different level during Olympics

MILAN -- There is one professional ice hockey goalie named Jordan Binnington. There are no clones of him. The 32-year-old who plays for the St. Louis Blues in the NHL is the same 32-year-old playing for Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Those are the undeniable, confirmed facts.

But you'll understand why this year, of all years, they seem debatable.

This year, it's as if there really are two Binningtons. There's the NHL version who is struggling, statistically among the worst No. 1 goalies in the League. And then there's the Olympic version, who is dominating, arguably the single biggest reason why Team Canada is still here, two wins from a gold medal.

Among 36 NHL goalies who have played at least 25 games this season, Binnington is 35th in wins (eight), 36th in save percentage (.864) and 35th in goals-against average (3.65).

In three Olympic games, Binnington has a 1.65 GAA and .921 save percentage, allowing five goals on 64 shots.

Explaining the disparity between St. Louis Binnington and Team Canada Binnington is not easy, but the goalie himself gave it a shot.

"This is a totally different environment and tournament," he said. "It's a short duration of time. Getting to play with these guys, you want to make the most of it. My focus is here."

Don't misread or misquote him. Binnington's focus is 100 percent with the Blues when he's with them. Attention to detail is not the issue.

But at the Olympics he said it's easy for him to simplify his approach and his mindset because the tournament is so short and every game feels like it's the biggest he ever will play.

"It's intense," Binnington said.

Binnington does intense well.

He has won Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and in his regular world there is no more important game than that.

He won the final at the 4 Nations Face-Off last year. That was a supercharged, pressure-filled environment.

Now that Binnington is representing his country on the world's biggest sporting stage, the most important game he ever will play in always will be the next one he gets to play in.

That's Friday against Team Finland in the semifinals at Santagiulia Arena (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, USA [JIP], ICI Tele, CBC Gem, CBC, SN [JIP], RDS2). The winner advances to the gold medal game Sunday. The loser plays for bronze Saturday.

"Obviously it's a special moment and I'm grateful and thankful to be here," Binnington said. "I remind myself every day to take it in, from the environment with the team to the village to the Olympic games, other athletes. It's special for sure. It's definitely a moment of time where you pause and take it in and just stick to your process and do the best you can."

Again, though, Binnington probably would not be here if getting the opportunity to play for Canada at the Olympics was based solely on his NHL performance, or at least his statistics, this season.

Even his own NHL and Team Canada teammate Colton Parayko nodded his head in agreement with that assessment.

But Binnington is here because of his repeated ability to raise his level in the biggest of moments, like a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Yes, we could question all day why he hasn't been able to do it on a regular basis for the Blues this season, but there are a myriad of reasons, some Binnington's fault and some the fault of the team's play in front of him that contribute to the depressed numbers.

"In St. Louis we're not where we want to be right now, but speaking of 'Binner,' he gives us a chance to win every night usually," Parayko said.

The fact is from general manager Doug Armstrong, also the Blues GM, to coach Jon Cooper, Team Canada's higher-ups predicted Binnington would be the man at the Olympics despite his struggles with the Blues this season.

Cooper said after Canada's first game of the tournament, a 5-0 win against Czechia on Feb. 12, in which Binnington made 26 saves, that he could have said "358 days ago" that Binnington was going to be Canada's No. 1 in Milan.

He wasn't worried about what was happening in the NHL this season. He was thinking only about Binnington making 31 saves in a 3-2 overtime win against Team USA in the 4 Nations final at TD Garden in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025.

"This isn't a loyalty thing, but I have the utmost confidence in that kid," Cooper said following the game against Czechia one week ago. "He's proven it. When pushes come to shoves the kid has been there for us. It's not going to guarantee that he's going to do that continually moving forward, but he's got a lot of pride, he's got a lot of talent, and he's done it on a lot of different stages. So, you know, you've got to give the kid a shot."

Binnington proved it again in a rematch against Czechia in the quarterfinals Wednesday, stepping up to save Canada's medal hopes multiple times.

He stopped Martin Necas on a breakaway in a 3-3 game with 1:11 remaining in the third period. He came out to challenge Radim Simek and stopped his shot from the left hash marks one minute into overtime.

Mitch Marner scored the winner 22 seconds later.

It was 22 seconds that Canada would not have played if not for Binnington.

"When the game got tight, and especially when they took the lead, he shut the door," Cooper said. "He gave us a chance to come back. That’s what winners do."

Binnington the Blue has not been able to do that consistently this season, a big reason why St. Louis is not in the Stanley Cup Playoff picture in the Western Conference.

Binnington the Canadian has done it so well that he gets a chance to do it again Friday, a big reason why Team Canada is still a gold medal favorite in a tournament that is down to four teams.

He's the same guy, the same goalie. Whether you believe it or not.

"He just makes the most of his opportunities and what’s in front of him," Parayko said. "He continues to do that each time. It’s just impressive. He continues to be the guy. It’s fun to watch. Happy for him, proud of him. He works extremely hard. He prepares the same way. It’s great to see he’s getting some recognition."