This one is a little more difficult to discuss than one would think. We went through this last year and the topic has become one of the more touchy subjects inside the Scottrade center.
My point here is that I’m not looking to drum up any controversy here.
There is no question David Perron sparks more discussion and controversy in the chat rooms and on the message boards than any other Blues player. He’s a lightning rod for fans who hardly hesitate to state their case when they feel Perron has been wronged.
There are some fans who strongly feel Head Coach Andy Murray has it out for the 2nd year player and he holds Perron to a different standard than he does the other young players.
This belief has been magnified this week on the heels of Perron being demoted to 4th line status.
While only scoring seven goals on the year, Perron is still second on the team in points while leading the club in assists. His desire to make the extra move, hang on to the puck too long, and his inability to hit the net have contributed to Perron failing to capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities this season. Murray has always made it pretty clear on what he’d like to see Perron improve on. His interaction with his teammates on the ice, needing to work harder, moving the puck, and at times failing to play within the team system are normally the criticisms directed towards Perron.
The bottom line here is Perron is still learning how to play in the NHL. The Blues have high expectations for their players and it’s up to the player to meet them
For the most part Perron has met those this season.
This wasn’t necessarily the case last year when Perron was immature and a little over confident. He came into the NHL with a slight reputation and his lack of understanding of how an NHL dressing room works allowed him to live up to his billing. I’m not so sure David acknowledged the code a young player must follow and how respectful you need to be to veteran players.
David came into the NHL with a lot of issues and from a much different background than most kids who find themselves in the NHL at 19 years of age.
Last season while he was irritating members of the Blues organization internally he was becoming a fan favorite on the ice. His ability to handle the puck adds a level of flash to his game which of course attracted the fans right away.
Last season Blues management even went as far as to say Perron is going to be a star for the Blues.
For the most part this season has been night and day for the 20 year old French Canadian compared to a year ago, at least in the locker room it has. Blues players tell me this year David gets it, they say he’s now part of the family and part of the group.
On the ice the Blues still feel he has plenty of room to grow.
Are the Blues hard on Perron?
The answer is unquestionably yes, but at the end of the day he is 20 and that’s just the way it is.
The Blues have elected to groom certain players at the NHL level and therefore they must live with the good and the bad that comes with it.
From my point of view it comes down to how well the Blues communicate to the player what their reasoning is when making certain decisions. I’m not going to sit here and tell Murray this guy needs to be playing with that guy, but I will ask what situation is best suited for the player?
Is David Perron a fourth line player?
It’s obvious he’s not going to wow you with his play inside his own end and is a player whose future in this league will be as a player who creates offense.
How effective is Perron to a lineup when he’s not playing with players who think offense and play in the offensive zone?
Murray provided a reasonable explanation as to why Perron played a fourth line role against Vancouver, but the explanation sounded as if it was a one game adjustment.
In my opinion if Perron is going to be demoted to the fourth line the day after he registered a goal and an assist and was a + 3 last Saturday vs. Colorado then he needs to be told why. What kind of message is being sent to the player if he’s being demoted after playing one of his strongest games of the year?
The last thing you want is a young guy not knowing where they stand, it should be addressed.
As long as Murray sits Perron down and lets him know what’s expected of him and what he needs to do better to earn a spot on the top three lines then all Perron should do is worry about the stuff he’s in control of, which is how hard he works and how well he plays.
Without proper communication with a young guy it can easily be mistaken as a vendetta and we all know that’s not how you develop a player.
Can Perron play better?
Absolutely he can, he’s been given plenty of opportunities this season to be an impact player and has little room to be unhappy with his role.
That’s up until now, but again he’s 20 and if you’re lucky enough to b in the NHL at the age of 20 you would have to be crazy to have any complaints.
Once again the Blues are responsible for how they develop their kids and making sure the communication door is open is critical.
The Blues will likely want to discuss the idea of extending Perron this summer even though he’s under contract through the end of next year.
I think it’s only fair to question whether Perron will be interested in re-signing with the Blues?
He could play out his contract and wait and see if an offersheet gets thrown his way after next season.
I don’t want to overreact here knowing he’s played a lot of hockey this season and only played two games with the fourth line, but it certainly feels like we’ve been down this road before doesn’t it?
McDonald Was a No-Brainer….
I still haven’t fully commented on here regarding the Blues contract extension with Andy McDonald.
To those who feel the Blues overpaid for McDonald please understand he would have received $5 million plus this summer.
In a sense the Blues have already made a free agent acquisition heading into the off-season. The difference is they know what they’re getting in the player they're signing. A lot of times when you get a UFA all you really know about that player is their stats, you hardly know anything about the player off the ice. In this situation the Blues know they will have a player for four years who prepares, is a true professional, and doesn’t walk around complaining all the time.
Believe it or not, you pay for that.
Don’t forget he’s won a cup, followed up an 85 point season with a 78 point campaign and prior to this season hadn’t missed a game in over three years.
Some have suggested this contract will prevent the Blues from locking up guys like Carlo Colaiacovo and Alex Steen just to name a few, don’t forget Paul Kariya and Jay McKee will be coming off the books which will free up $10 million.
Blues Clues!
The Blues can only keep Yan Stastny in Peoria for no more than 14 days beginning on February 10th.
I’m told Manny Legace looked very sharp in his first appearance in Peoria Wednesday night stopping 21 of 22 shots. Word is he couldn’t do anything about the lone goal he gave up and about ten of the saves he made were on shots he was seriously tested.
Sources say Michigan forward Aaron Palushaj is hoping to turn pro after this season. The Blues have not yet discussed the idea with the former 2nd round pick.
At the recent Casino charity night the Blues held at the Scotttrade Center one of the auction items available was a chance for two fans to fly on the team charter and stay in the team hotel. Cam Janssen ended up outbidding the field and brought his parents on the trip to Nashville. Janssen paid $1,300 to win the bidding.
I recently wrote that T.J. Oshie purchased from (Johnny Mac’s) new practice jerseys and socks for his former high school in Warroad, Minnesota. The players who had been wearing the same practice jerseys since Oshie was a 10th grader there received the surprise last week.
Erik Johnson will head back to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota this week to get an update on his rehab and find out when he can begin putting the skates on. He could possibly begin skating this month.
The Blues have zero intention of allowing D.J. King to return to NHL action this season. King had shoulder surgery at the beginning of the season.
There is a strong chance the Blues alternate Ben Bishop and Chris Holt while Manny Legace is in Peoria.
More to come,
Andy Strickland
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St Louis Blues Blogger •1380 ESPN • 
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