The St. Louis Blues and goaltender Joel Hofer have agreed to terms on a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension beginning in the 2023-24 season.

Although playing solely in the American Hockey League this year with the Springfield Falcons, the Winnipeg product’s path to the crease in St. Louis appears to be all but paved with 36-year-old old backup Thomas Greiss likely moving on from the Blues following this up-and-down 2022-23 season.

Regular starter Jordan Binnington is, of course, under contract for four more years, but that doesn’t mean the 22-year-old Hofer won’t usurp his throne.

The contract is of one-way variety and it features a $775K annually average value over the next two seasons, meaning he will be paid out in full no matter if he plays with the Blues or Falcons. Drafted 107th overall in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Hofer has played in two NHL games with St. Louis last year, going 1-1-0 with a 3.07 goals against average and a .880 save percentage in his two starts.

This year, he owns a 10-8-4 record with a 2.39 goals against average and .922 save percentage in the AHL. Hofer is 32-29-15 in his minor league career, with a 2.84 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.