Top-Shelf Takes: The NHL shouldn't tolerate Jordan Binnington's childish antics any longer
Welcome to Top-Shelf Takes, a weekly series from staff writer Mary Clarke all about the NHL. Lace up your skates as we dive deep into the epic highs and lows of this little sport called hockey.
The best pests in the NHL are good at getting under their opponents skin while staying unbothered themselves. Think Brad Marchand, love him or hate him. Jordan Binnington, on the other hand, is a petulant child playing hockey.
Over the weekend, Binnington once again became the narrative of the hockey world thanks to yet another incident involving his well-documented short fuse. During the St. Louis Blues Saturday matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Binnington gloved Jason Zucker in the face as the winger was chasing a puck behind the net in the dying seconds of the first period.
The move was a completely unnecessary one, given the routine nature of Zucker’s route, and one that caused play to be halted as the Penguins winger lay crumpled in a heap on the ice.
Jordan Binnington just hit Jason Zucker in the face as he was skating around the net?!#LetsGoPens #STLBlues pic.twitter.com/KnPSo5Ptgt
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) December 4, 2022
Binnington back at it tonight. Sticks his arm out and drops Jason Zucker pic.twitter.com/FsebSrXcvF
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) December 4, 2022
Then early in the second period, when Binnington was being pulled after allowing four goals on 17 shots, the Blues goaltender was given a 10-minute misconduct for “inciting” as he had words for the Penguins bench while leaving the ice.
Jason Zucker's reaction to Binnington pic.twitter.com/1U5JIkKdgf
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) December 4, 2022
This incident is just the latest in a long list of tantrums Binnington has thrown over the years since 2018-19. Without fail, when Binnington has a poor game or things don’t go his way, he lashes out physically against his opponents in a meltdown of epic proportions. That all came to a head in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Binnington tossed a water bottle at Nazem Kadri during a postgame interview after the goaltender left due to an injury sustained when colliding with the forward.
So far, the NHL has tolerated Binnington’s childish outbursts with no external punishments. Even the water bottle toss didn’t warrant a fine or a suspension from the powers on high. But it’s clear by now that in-game penalties aren’t going to stop Binnington from taking out his frustrations physically on his opponents, since he’s continued to do so for years.
That being said, Binnington’s antics are starting to wear thin on his head coach, Craig Berube, who had this to say after the Blues 6-2 weekend loss to the Penguins.
“It’s got to stop. It doesn’t help anything,” Berube said. “Just play goal, stop the puck.”
Look, I could understand Binnington’s actions here a bit if he was actually an elite goaltender. Tom Brady throws fits on the sidelines all the time, but the dude is the undisputed football GOAT with seven Super Bowl wins. Binnington has a Stanley Cup, yes, but in the years since he’s posted a .906 save percentage and has been remarkably mediocre.
The NHL needs to be finished with tolerating Binnington’s actions from now on. Binnington’s petulance has gone on for far too long and he’s only going to keep embarrassing the league — or maybe even hurt someone — if he continues to act out like this.