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Longtime St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington shared more details on his thought process moments after allowing Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin’s 900th goal.
Binnington faced backlash after putting the puck in the back of his hockey gear. A linesman made sure to grab the puck from the stunned goaltender.
Ovechkin was asked about it after the Capitals’ 6-1 victory.
“Yes, I just saw it,” he replied when a reporter asked him about it. “You know, I’m not going to comment on that.”
Binnington is now making it clear that he fully intended to return the puck to the Russian hockey superstar.
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Goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) of the St. Louis Blues reacts after allowing the 900th career NHL goal to number 8 Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (not pictured) during the second period at Capital One Arena on November 5, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
“Yeah, I thought I basically got an assist on the goal there, turning the puck over. [I] I didn’t think he would mind sharing it,” Binnington joked Thursday. “I had every intention of giving it back to him.”
In April, Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky to become the leading scorer in NHL history. On Wednesday, he became the first player in history to score 900 goals.
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The puck was returned to Ovechkin in time for locker room photos to commemorate his feat.
St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) looks on during the third period against the Vancouver Canucks at Enterprise Center on October 30, 2025 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Jeff Curry/Imagn Images)
Before being eliminated in the second period of Wednesday’s loss, Binnington had scored four goals.
He then congratulated Ovechkin for scoring the momentous goal. “Unbelievable play by him to catch that, turn around and put it on 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.
Goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) of the St. Louis Blues looks on during the singing of the national anthems before puck drop against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 2 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 shared his thoughts on Binnington’s actions. “Maybe he was trying to grab it to give it to him,” he told reporters sheepishly.
According to Binnington, Thompson’s conclusion was correct and he reaffirmed his intention to return to the puck.
“I fully intend to return it,” Binnington noted. “He is a legendary and inspiring player for the game and for the league. It’s a great moment for him and for his team.”
