It’s about time the St. Louis Blues started taking Scott Perunovich more seriously

For many of the youngsters playing for the St. Louis Blues, opportunity is knocking. We already saw newcomers Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway become relevant players quickly, but a rather familiar face could be going in that same direction. 

Enter Scott Perunovich, who, to me, was a virtual afterthought heading into this season. Through his first 73 games in Gateway City, the “ultra impressive” Perunovich gave the Blues just 23 points, 65 blocks, and 35 hits while never averaging over 15:27 of average total ice time. 

That trend is beginning to change this season, as Perunovich has three points and two goals so far across 12 appearances in 2024-25. He’s also blocking over one shot per game, and while Perunovich has just averaged 15:07 per contest, don’t let that low number fool you. 

Between November 9th and Thursday night’s win over the San Jose Sharks, Perunovich has appeared in seven games, snagging all three of his points this season in those contests. He’s also averaged 17:10 of total ice time, and as a bonus, he’s got a plus-3 rating. 

Scott Perunovich could be one to watch for the St. Louis Blues

While it’s highly likely Perunovich will never receive anything over third-pairing minutes unless an onslaught of injuries hit the Blues at their blue line, it shouldn’t take away from his overall impact. Perunovich, now in his age-26 season, was likely facing a make-it-or-break-it campaign before he headed into the 2025 offseason as a restricted free agent. 

So, while the Blues may not compete for anything more than a spot in outer orbit as opposed to a playoff position, it shouldn’t erase the fact that there is a lot of competition regarding the future of some fringe players. That fact alone will make the rest of the season worth watching, even if the Blues head into January 2025 under 0.500 in points. 

This isn’t saying that Perunovich will keep surprising us or anything of the sort. And if he wants to stick around, he’ll need to give the Blues more than just a strong sample size of games in the first quarter of a long season. But that doesn’t mean he’s not off to a strong run, and if he keeps it up, there’s a good chance he’ll return next year. 

Ultimately, no player in the NHL controls their destiny in a contract season when they’re in a position akin to Perunovich’s. So, all he can do is to keep building on the strong play he’s given the Blues lately, and who knows what that will turn into?