Trust on the Biggest Stage: Binnington’s Stonewall Mental Routine

In an episode of St. Louis Blues player Pavel Buchnevich’s series, Buch Session, Jordan Binnington, the Blues and Team Canada goaltender, recounts saves he made during the 4 Nations Face-Off final versus Team USA. Specifically, the clutch save he made for Team Canada in overtime against USA’s Brady Tkachuk. Watch the save here.

When asked what was going through his mind during that moment, Binnington shared a bit about how he remains focused and present while playing at the highest level. 

First, Binnington described making the save during the Four Nations: “it’s when you’re not thinking, and you’re just in the moment at that point.” 

Being completely present, maintaining focus, and fully trusting our abilities, are aspects of this “not thinking” experience. Trust, can be defined in performance literature as the ability to “release conscious control over movements and allow automatic execution of the motor programs that have developed through training” (Moore & Stevenson, 1994). Full trust also “frees” athletes from the “cognitive interference that inhibits the processing of information” (Moore & Stevenson, 1994). In other words, trust quiets distractions or the overthinking in our head that may happen when pressure is high. This mental freedom allows us to be locked into what is happening during a game or competiton and perform critical skills without thinking about how to execute them.

Binnington exemplifies this trust-execution alignment. In the split seconds he had to react, move towards the post, and use his glove to stop the puck, there was no time for Binnington to analyze his movements, specific technical components, or how it would feel if he did or did not make the save.

He just did it. Automatic execution. No thinking, full trust. 

But, this level of trust and execution doesn’t happen overnight or when we simply hope for these mental skills to show up. Trusting our abilities takes practice and the use of mental skills, something Binnington is no stranger to.  

Later in the interview, Binnington outlined the mindful reset routine he developed, trains, and utilized after making the save, an excellent example of how mental skills training applies in realtime: “I just remember making the saves, hearing the fans' reactions, and then processing it quick, and then resetting for the next face off…I actually never look at the jumbotron.” 

Reset routines like this one promote trust through the practice of remaining composed and grounded in the present during activating, emotional, or distracting moments. Routines and reset cues allow us to quickly recognize our experience (our emotions and physiological reactions) in the competitive environment and use something purposeful (a cue) to refocus attention back to where we need it. By acknowledging that the save was made, how the fans and his team were reacting, and then resetting with pure focus on the next face-off, Binnington was able to take control over how he responded without letting replays on the jumbotron or energy in the arena impact his concentration - foundational for maintaining trust during high intensity performances.

So, whether you are in between the pipes like Binnington, or in a high-pressure board meeting, by utilizing grounded refocus routines and prioritizing the present moment, we can quiet the noise in our heads and promote full trust in our abilities.

Watch the Buch Session episode here.

References:

Moore, W.E., & Stevenson, J. R. (1994). Training for trust in sport skills. The Sport Psychologist, 8(1). 1-12.