Breakaway on SI

Team Canada Drops Ball in Goalie Decisions

Team Canada chose their goalies for the 4 Nations Face-Off and they leave quite a bit to be desired.

Nick Horwat

Nov 21, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) defends the net against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Nov 21, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) defends the net against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
In this story:

The rosters have been revealed for the NHL’s upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off and Team Canada’s goaltending has been at the center of attention for numerous months. With the official roster unveiled, Team Canada’s goalie trio has been made official.

For the 4 Nations Face-Off, Team Canada will go with Jordan Binnington from the St. Louis Blues, Adin Hill from the Vegas Golden Knights, and Sam Montembeault from the Montreal Canadiens.

Goaltending is by far the weakest area of Team Canada’s lineup, but it doesn’t seem like they made any effort to be creative or spontaneous with their decision making between the pipes. Binnington and Hill are Stanley Cup champions, sure, but what have they done for their teams lately?

Ever since winning the Cup in 2019 with the Blues, Binnington has been pretty middle of the road, being most known for his hot-headed antics. He’s leveled his temper a bit in 2024-25, but he currently holds a 7-9-2 record in 19 games played.

Tack on a .899 with 53 goals allowed (tied for second most in the NHL) and Binnington doesn’t strike as a true standout for international play. He’s 152-103 over the course of his career, but can he turn it on at the biggest stages?

Hill, meanwhile, is having a solid year, but only recently started to feel like a true starter in the NHL. When the Golden Knights won the Cup, he was one of five goalies used during the regular season, then started the postseason as the backup.

Even after leading the Golden Knights to a championship, they turned to Logan Thompson for 42 starts the following year, compared to Hill’s 35.

Montembeault is currently tied for the NHL lead in losses with 10, and has a .901 save percentage and 2.99 goals against average.

Are these really the best options Canada has for goalies? The aforementioned Thompson is having a great year with the Washington Capitals, holding a 10-1-2 record with a .913 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper was considered, but injuries may have gotten in the way. He has a 4-2-3 record, with a Cup under his belt from 2022.

Giving Marc-Andre Fleury a shot would have been a creative and unexpected choice. He’s the backup with the Minnesota Wild, but he’s yet to lose in regulation with a 5-0-1 record. 2024-25 is also the last year of Fleury’s career, which would have made his Team Canada nod an added piece to his farewell tour.

No matter who is in goal, Team Canada is going to be a favorite. It’s the birthplace of hockey and has immense amounts of skill up top. Those high-flying skaters might have to work a little harder this time around.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

Published
Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

Home/News Feed Page