Doug Armstrong

ChicagoBlues

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I would much, much rather Perunovich learns to play with professional hockey players in the AHL. There is no reason to rush him.
I’m leaning this way as well. A time will come when it is evident that Perunovich is ready. We ain’t there yet.

However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes the team out of camp with the plan to give him a boost and a taste and send him down with some tools.

Unless the Blues sign another defenseman and if he doesn’t shit the bed in camp, I’d like Perunovich to start the season with the Blues, play a couple games and head back to apply what he’s learned.

Doubt this happens, but that’s what I’d like.
 
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BadgersandBlues

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We should tell Mikkola, Walman, and Perunovich that the 3LD spot is wide open and the winner of the spot in training camp gets to start there for the season. There's really no reason not to have a solid 3-way competition. I think Walman will eventually pull ahead, but unless Perunovich wins the spot outright he should be in the AHL to start the season. No reason to keep him as the 7th man.
 

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We should tell Mikkola, Walman, and Perunovich that the 3LD spot is wide open and the winner of the spot in training camp gets to start there for the season. There's really no reason not to have a solid 3-way competition. I think Walman will eventually pull ahead, but unless Perunovich wins the spot outright he should be in the AHL to start the season. No reason to keep him as the 7th man.
If Perunovich doesn't improve significantly his skating he will never be NHL'er.
 

Majorityof1

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If Perunovich doesn't improve significantly his skating he will never be NHL'er.

Isn't skating his best asset? Scouting reports I have read all say he might not have the fastest top end speed but his acceleration, backwards skating, edge-work, lateral skating etc are all top tier. That tracks with my viewings as well.
 

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Isn't skating his best asset? Scouting reports I have read all say he might not have the fastest top end speed but his acceleration, backwards skating, edge-work, lateral skating etc are all top tier. That tracks with my viewings as well.
What I saw last pre-season I didn't like his skating at all. He is so small and add there slow skating, he got buried. It doesn't help when he is smallest player of ice, he can't defend, easy to man handle.

I don't know does it help if you don't have any speed if you agile in turns and good in lateral skating. No power at all. First strides isn't imo that good for such a small dmen.

If game is scrimmage level then yes, he is good, but imo not NHL caliber when you need to have good top speed.

His puck handling is really good and spinstoind on low speed nice, but not high speed game. He reminds so much of back yard high level skilled who has world of hands, but is walking. Everybody are amazed his hand speed, but doesn't see rest of him.
Hopefully he has improved his skating for my liking.
 

simon IC

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Isn't skating his best asset? Scouting reports I have read all say he might not have the fastest top end speed but his acceleration, backwards skating, edge-work, lateral skating etc are all top tier. That tracks with my viewings as well.
He is similar to Krug in that respect, but a bit better. Krug is not fast, but he is quick, if that makes any sense. He turns on a dime, has great edgework, and has the vision to put himself in the right spot, especially on the PP. His lack of straightaway speed, however, limits his defensive ability, particularly 5 on5, when he plants himself in front of the opposing team's net and gets caught out of position with no chance of recovering. When he is back in position, he often gets beaten because of his size and lack of reach. I am a bit concerned that Perunovich is going to share those weaknesses because so far he looks like a carbon copy of Krug.
 

Majorityof1

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He is similar to Krug in that respect, but a bit better. Krug is not fast, but he is quick, if that makes any sense. He turns on a dime, has great edgework, and has the vision to put himself in the right spot, especially on the PP. His lack of straightaway speed, however, limits his defensive ability, particularly 5 on5, when he plants himself in front of the opposing team's net and gets caught out of position with no chance of recovering. When he is back in position, he often gets beaten because of his size and lack of reach. I am a bit concerned that Perunovich is going to share those weaknesses because so far he looks like a carbon copy of Krug.

From what I have seen and read, his top end speed isn't bad. It's above average. With good quickness and acceleration, slightly above average top-end speed is good enough. How often do skaters even get to their top straight line speed? Its not often you get 150 feet to jet straight line. If Perunovich needs less runway to get to his top end, he can still catch up to fast skaters that need more runway to get going. I am not hopeful for Perunovich's potential, but its not at all due to his speed. Its due to his positioning, decision making and ability to win board/net-front battles.
 
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Brian39

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Apr 24, 2014
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He was back for 24 games and a PO run and was going at a 50 point pace...But I don't agree with the concept that he needs to "prove he isn't a shadow of his former self". He already did that in the 2nd half.
What you just described is overwhelmingly him playing like a shadow of his former self. He was on pace for 47.8 points, so not quite a 50 point pace. Prior to last year, his lowest points pace since 2014 was 67.7. That is a massive difference. You can cite extenuating circumstances that suggest room for improvement, but that is completely different than saying he already proved not to be a shadow of his former self. Extenuating circumstances such as returning mid season, the team being bad, etc all suggest the potential for a return to form, not proof that he has returned.

The biggest cause for concern is that the 20 point drop in points pace from 67+ to 47 came entirely from a decrease to his goal scoring output. He was on pace for 34 assists over an 82 game season, which is directly in line with his career norm (he finished between 33 and 36 assists for 5 straight seasons and was on pace before missing most of 2019/20). But his projected output dropped from being a 33+ goal scorer to being on pace for 13 goals. Tarasenko's shot is the thing that made him a top-end player and he objectively has not proven that he is still an elite shooter. He was a 12.9% shooter for his career before this season and he was a 6.2% shooter this season.

The second biggest cause for concern is that we got absolutely caved in whenever he was on the ice. He was a -7 through 24 games, which was good for 4th worst on the team. His expected +/- was -4.3 and his possession stats at 5 on 5 were atrocious. His CF% and FF% were both below 48. His xGF% was 39.99 and his HDCF% was 38.79. This was all despite zone start rates skewed squarely toward the offensive zone.

In the 2nd half of last season Tarasenko was a defensive liability who couldn't effectively shoot the puck and was on pace for 27 points at even strength. He was a good playmaker who got up to almost a 50 point pace largely by being an effective passer on the team's top PP unit. That is absolutely a shadow of his former self.

Again, the extenuating circumstances absolutely leave open the possibility that he has more to give and that it is reasonable to expect more from him this year after a normal summer, training camp, etc. But he hasn't remotely proven it yet.
 
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Blueston

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What you just described is overwhelmingly him playing like a shadow of his former self. He was on pace for 47.8 points, so not quite a 50 point pace. Prior to last year, his lowest points pace since 2014 was 67.7. That is a massive difference. You can cite extenuating circumstances that suggest room for improvement, but that is completely different than saying he already proved not to be a shadow of his former self. Extenuating circumstances such as returning mid season, the team being bad, etc all suggest the potential for a return to form, not proof that he has returned.

The biggest cause for concern is that the 20 point drop in points pace from 67+ to 47 came entirely from a decrease to his goal scoring output. He was on pace for 34 assists over an 82 game season, which is directly in line with his career norm (he finished between 33 and 36 assists for 5 straight seasons and was on pace before missing most of 2019/20). But his projected output dropped from being a 33+ goal scorer to being on pace for 13 goals. Tarasenko's shot is the thing that made him a top-end player and he objectively has not proven that he is still an elite shooter. He was a 12.9% shooter for his career before this season and he was a 6.2% shooter this season.

The second biggest cause for concern is that we got absolutely caved in whenever he was on the ice. He was a -7 through 24 games, which was good for 4th worst on the team. His expected +/- was -4.3 and his possession stats at 5 on 5 were atrocious. His CF% and FF% were both below 48. His xGF% was 39.99 and his HDCF% was 38.79. This was all despite zone start rates skewed squarely toward the offensive zone.

In the 2nd half of last season Tarasenko was a defensive liability who couldn't effectively shoot the puck and was on pace for 27 points at even strength. He was a good playmaker who got up to almost a 50 point pace largely by being an effective passer on the team's top PP unit. That is absolutely a shadow of his former self.

Again, the extenuating circumstances absolutely leave open the possibility that he has more to give and that it is reasonable to expect more from him this year after a normal summer, training camp, etc. But he hasn't remotely proven it yet.
Thank you fir documenting what we saw. He was bad.
 

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From what I have seen and read, his top end speed isn't bad. It's above average. With good quickness and acceleration, slightly above average top-end speed is good enough. How often do skaters even get to their top straight line speed? Its not often you get 150 feet to jet straight line. If Perunovich needs less runway to get to his top end, he can still catch up to fast skaters that need more runway to get going. I am not hopeful for Perunovich's potential, but its not at all due to his speed. Its due to his positioning, decision making and ability to win board/net-front battles.
Well if he got burned at scrimmages vs NHL/AHL tweeners that doesn't give me much hope his skating skills.

But yeah, It's not first time I have been wrong or right.
 

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