St. Louis Blues and Scott Perunovich Settle For One-Year Deal

Perunovich Re-Ups With St. Louis

Perunovich suffered a fractured shoulder in a preseason match-up, side-lining him for six months. Then, Perunovich suited up for the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate. He recorded two goals and 18 assists for 20 points in 22 games. Moreover, Perunovich played for Team USA in 10 World Championship contests, where he notched eight points. 

Before this season, Perunovich played in 19 NHL games, which all came during the 2021-22 season. In those games, Perunovich potted six assists. However, he should’ve been an NHL regular before his injury. In the end, the Blues and Perunovich agreed on a league-minimum contract.

The Blues Underwent a Roster Shift

The team acquired cheap youth by claiming Kasperi Kapanen from the Pittsburgh Penguins off waivers. The Blues even made a trade to add Jakub Vrana. Craig Berube presented these pieces with a fabulous opportunity towards the end of the season, including power-play minutes and an increased role.

Defencemen Torey Krug and Colton Parayko have popped up in trade rumours. The Blues’ roster experienced a shift at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly. Furthermore, Vladamir Tarasenko and Ivan Barbashev were shipped out.

Why This Benefits Perunovich Going Forward

With Krug likely on the move and the current direction of the Blues’ franchise, there is an opportunity for Perunovich heading into the 2023-24 season. Perunovich could play a similar role to Krug. This role would consist of 15-16 minutes of 5v5 ice time per night. Krug experienced the second-highest percentage of offensive zone starts amongst St. Louis defencemen in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Believe it or not, in Perunovich’s 19 NHL games, he saw the high deployment in the offensive zone amongst all Blues defenceman over the past two seasons.

Perunovich’s strength as a player comes from his offensive mind. He’s proven his ability to quarterback a power play through his 2020 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top player in college hockey. Perunovich scored 40 points in 34 games with the University of Minnesota Duluth to capture this trophy. 

Krug’s 350 minutes on the power play over the past two seasons ranks first for all St. Louis defencemen. Justin Faulk will likely take the spot on the power play one. Yet, this doesn’t mean Perunovich can’t start on unit two. Perunovich’s confidence with the puck, excellent vision, and creativity make him a low-risk, high-reward replacement for Krug. 

What Perunovich Brings To The Table

Two attributes that opened the eyes of St. Louis scouts were Perunovich’s skating and passing. His skating abilities offer the archetype of the modern-day NHL defenceman. He can use his acceleration and edges to skate himself out of trouble from forecheckers. 

Perunovich can fire stretch passes to streaking wingers due to his excellent vision. His transition gameplay provides evidence he can be impactful at the NHL level. Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou will enjoy his services for next season.

Why It Might Not Work

Here is why the Scott Perunovich contract may not work. A 5’9″ defenceman with 19 games in experience doesn’t compile a traditional NHL resume. Perunovich faced many injuries throughout his young hockey career. He’s experienced a history with his shoulder and also received left wrist surgery.

The Blues may be interested in Travis Sanheim from the Philadelphia Flyers. Moreover, Krug’s no-movement clause situation is still up in the air. There’s no guarantee Pernovich has this opportunity.

The NHL coaching carousel has a history of burying players similar to Perunovich. He will take risks and make mistakes. His development won’t be a perfect path. Berube can’t hold Pernouvich on a short leash for him to maximize his potential.