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Jordan Binnington, the longtime St. Louis Blues goaltender, offered more details about his thought process right after allowing Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s milestone 900th goal.
Binnington battled some backlash after putting the puck in the back of his hockey gear. A linesman made sure to retrieve the puck from the stunned goaltender.
Ovechkin was asked about it after the Capitals’ 6-1 win.
“Yeah, I just saw it,” he said when asked about it by a reporter. “You know I’m not going to comment on that.”
Binnington now makes it clear that he fully intended to return the puck to the superstar Russian hockey player.
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Goalkeeper Jordan Binnington (50) from St. Louis Blues react after allowing NHL career goal 900 by Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals (not pictured) in the second period at Capital One Arena on November 5, 2025 in Washington, DC (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
“Yeah, I figured I basically had an assist on the goal there and turned the puck over. [I] didn’t think he’d mind sharing it,” Binnington said Thursday. “I had every intention of giving it back to him.”
In April, Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky to become the all-time leading scorer in NHL history. On Wednesday, he became the first player in history to record 900 goals.
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The puck was returned to Ovechkin in time for locker room photos commemorating his performance.
St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) looks on during the third period against the Vancouver Canucks at the Enterprise Center on Oct. 30, 2025 in St. Louis. Louis, Missouri. (Jeff Curry/Imagn Images)
Before being taken off in the second period of Wednesday’s defeat, Binnington was charged with four goals.
He later praised Ovechkin for scoring the momentous goal. “Unbelievable play by him to catch it, spin it and get it on the net from a bad angle. Obviously, he’s such a legendary player. To see a play like that still happen at his age, it’s next level. He continues to impress,” Binnington said.
Goalkeeper Jordan Binnington (50) from St. Louis Blues looks on during the singing of the national anthems prior to the puck drop against the Winnipeg Jets in game two of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canada Life Center on April 21, 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
Ovechkin’s teammate Logan Thompson also offered his thoughts on Binnington’s actions. “Maybe he was trying to grab it to give it to him,” he sheepishly told reporters.
According to Binnington, Thompson’s takeaway was correct and confirmed his intention to return to the puck.
“Full intention of giving it back,” Binnington noted. “He’s a legendary, inspirational player for the game and for the league. It’s a great moment for him and their team.”
