St. Louis Blues extend Scott Perunovich

“St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has signed defenseman Scott Perunovich to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $1.15 million,” released the St. Louis Blues Press Release.

This is Perunovich's chance to demonstrate his skills and potentially find his footing in a defense that doesn't have any major stars.

Perunovich's 2023-24 season may have been underwhelming, but he still played in a total of 54 games and had an average ice time of 15 minutes and 16 seconds.

Perunovich’s stats with the St. Louis Blues:

2021-22: 19 games, 0 goals, 6 assists, 6 points. 15:27 TOI.
2022-23: 54 games, 0 goals, 17 assists, 17 points. 15:16 TOI.

Perunovich, as a defenseman, is not usually expected to score, but his statistics reveal a clear need for significant improvement.

GM Doug Armstrong's belief in Perunovich's abilities is evident as he strives to enhance his skills and mold him into a trustworthy defenseman.

Due to Perunovich's young age of 25, it is reasonable to believe that further development can enhance his skills.

Can Scott Perunovich get back to his college level of play?

In AHL play with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Perunovich recorded 22 points in 2021-22 and 20 points in 2022-23.

The former University of Minnesota-Duluth hockey star put up big numbers in collegiate play, notably scoring 40 points in 2019-20.

University of Minnesota-Duluth Stats:

2017-18: 42 games, 11 goals, 25 assists, 36 points.
2018-19: 39 games, 3 goals, 26 assists, 29 points.
2019-20: 34 games, 6 goals, 34 assists, 40 points.

Undoubtedly, head coach Drew Bannister and the rest of the coaching staff long for any similar return to such numbers, particularly in the assists category.

Perunovich can take a deep breath as his NHL journey is set to continue. He now will seek to earn a roster spot come training camp in the fall.