After having a successful stint in the crease for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Jordan Binnington has managed to carry that success over to the St. Louis Blues. Not only are the Blues the hottest team in the league with a 13-2-2 record since the break, but Binnington is tied for the league lead in wins with nine and he’s ninth among regular starters in save percentage at .912, and it’s a big reason why the Blues are pulling away in the Western Conference playoff race.

Carter Hutton joined Daily Faceoff Live to talk about Binnington’s improved play, and how the 4 Nations Face-Off success played a role in that.

Carter Hutton: I looked back to experiences I had where you played in a big game. Even when I would transition from the NHL to the AHL, you would go up there and everything was faster and quicker, and then all of a sudden, the speed slows down.

So I try to make the same comparison to going to the 4 Nations Face-Off, practicing and playing at that level where you have the best in the world, and then you come back to the old, lonely NHL where it’s maybe one or two studs per team. It’s a different sort of game where you’re facing a lot more pressure, and I think for him, building off of that is so important.

You look back at his Stanley Cup. He has that. Now there’s a big lag of time in between, so I think for him, getting back to that confident, cocky Jordan Binnington we all know and love, where he wears it on his sleeve, I think is so important.

And again, Jim Montgomery being there now for a good chunk of time is a big, important factor in this St. Louis Blues team’s success, because he is a great coach, and he has guys playing the right way.

You can watch the full episode here…

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