Jordan Binnington suspension: Goalie was hoping for less than two-game suspension.

Goaltender Jordan Binnington received a two-game suspension for roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct after an altercation with Minnesota Wild's Ryan Hartman during their game on Wednesday. While Binnington acknowledged the thrill of the crowd cheering for him after the incident, he expressed disappointment with the NHL's decision on his punishment.

Binnington argued that he did not make contact with Hartman and was merely reiterating that Hartman knew how to embellish a play. However, coach Craig Berube was not surprised by the punishment, saying that using a blocker like that would likely result in a suspension.

The suspension will cost Jordan Binnington just under $64,865, and he will miss games against the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets. Jordan Binnington's suspension provides an opportunity for top goaltending prospect Joel Hofer, who was recalled to take Binnington's place, make his season debut against the Capitals.

In his first public comments since the suspension was announced, Jordan Binnington said, “I hoped for less” than the two-game ban. He added that he felt like he was in the movie "Good Will Hunting," where he was acting as if he was trying to defend himself on trial. It was a new experience for him, and he did not want to go through it all the time.

Ric Flair reads lineups for St. Louis Blues (Jordan Binnington's team)

The majority of NHL teams have a tradition of having one of their players announce the starting lineup to their teammates before the game. The St. Louis Blues, however, decided to add some entertainment to this by having wrestling legend Ric Flair read out the Blues' lineup on national TV.

This was not Flair's first appearance at the Enterprise Center, as he was a special guest for the team's Wrestling Night in 2016. He returned for the 2023 edition of the event.

Flair, who hails from Memphis, Tennessee, is himself a Blues fan. Interestingly, Flair spent much of his youth in Minnesota, which was the Blues' opponent on the night he read the lineup. He currently lives full-time in St. Louis.

Ric Flair gained immense popularity in the world of professional wrestling by portraying the character of "Nature Boy" in the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation. He was widely recognized for his catchphrase "WOOO", which has become a part of pop culture as well. When Flair read out the Blues' lineup, he added his own unique touch to it.

Apart from that, Flair showed his respect for his fellow athletes by spending most of his time before the game mingling with players from both the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild. The Wild even shared a picture of Flair with their own athlete, Ryan Reaves, during the season.