Prospect Info: Scott Perunovich (2018 Draft - 45th overall)

Dr Robot

Registered User
Nov 3, 2011
1,450
1,033
If he signs a regular 2 year deal he burns the first one whether we play this season or not. Thats why they did this arrangement and had it cleared with the commish, a 2 year contract starting this season or a 2 year starting next if we don't play.
 

Blueston

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Dec 4, 2016
18,706
19,286
Houston, TX
If he signs a regular 2 year deal he burns the first one whether we play this season or not. Thats why they did this arrangement and had it cleared with the commish, a 2 year contract starting this season or a 2 year starting next if we don't play.
Not exactly. League isn’t allowing college players who sign after stoppage to burn this year if we don’t return this season. We did it this way to allow him to burn the year if we do return.
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,544
3,506
San Pedro, CA.
Haven't seen it here yet, but there was a piece on Perunovich in the Post Dispatch. Thought this part was interesting:

“I don’t want to put too much hype or pressure or speculation, but the reason we want to keep this option is because potentially if we get up and play he could help us this year,” Armstrong said. “That’s how highly we think of him.” And if there’s no hockey until next season, Armstrong said Perunovich will be given “every opportunity” to make the 2020-21 squad.

Something tells me Perunovich will start next season in St.Louis and not in Springfield...

Dunn-Pietrangelo
Perunovich-Parayko
Mikkola-Faulk
Bortuzzo

No true shutdown pair, but I don’t mind these pairings for next year.

Personally, I’d rather them trade Faulk and bring back Scandella(Mikkola can play at RD), but if they go with the current route, I think it’s a good idea to put him with our best defensive guy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: simon IC

simon IC

Moderator
Sponsor
Sep 8, 2007
9,219
7,606
Canada
Dunn-Pietrangelo
Perunovich-Parayko
Mikkola-Faulk
Bortuzzo

No true shutdown pair, but I don’t mind these pairings for next year.

Personally, I’d rather them trade Faulk and bring back Scandella(Mikkola can play at RD), but if they go with the current route, I think it’s a good idea to put him with our best defensive guy.
I think it would be wiser to bring Scandella back and let Perunovich marinate in the AHL. Why are we rushing Perunovich's development?
 

simon IC

Moderator
Sponsor
Sep 8, 2007
9,219
7,606
Canada
Haven't seen it here yet, but there was a piece on Perunovich in the Post Dispatch. Thought this part was interesting:

“I don’t want to put too much hype or pressure or speculation, but the reason we want to keep this option is because potentially if we get up and play he could help us this year,” Armstrong said. “That’s how highly we think of him.” And if there’s no hockey until next season, Armstrong said Perunovich will be given “every opportunity” to make the 2020-21 squad.

Something tells me Perunovich will start next season in St.Louis and not in Springfield...
What's the rush? Why is it so important to have Perunovich in the NHL immediately? Even his most gushing admirer, Pronman, says he doesn't pay a lot of attention to his own end. I think he needs to start in the AHL to acclimatize himself to the Pro game, and to learn how to defend.
 

Beauterham

Registered User
Aug 19, 2018
1,518
1,280
What's the rush? Why is it so important to have Perunovich in the NHL immediately? Even his most gushing admirer, Pronman, says he doesn't pay a lot of attention to his own end. I think he needs to start in the AHL to acclimatize himself to the Pro game, and to learn how to defend.

Ow, I'm not in a rush. If it's better for his development I'm fine with him going to Springfield next year. But apparantly the Blues organisation thinks very highly of him and thinks he has a good shot of making the team next year. At least, that is how I interpret Doug Armstrongs words.
 

Blueston

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Dec 4, 2016
18,706
19,286
Houston, TX
Dunn-Pietrangelo
Perunovich-Parayko
Mikkola-Faulk
Bortuzzo

No true shutdown pair, but I don’t mind these pairings for next year.

Personally, I’d rather them trade Faulk and bring back Scandella(Mikkola can play at RD), but if they go with the current route, I think it’s a good idea to put him with our best defensive guy.
If these are our D, I'd put Perunovich with Faulk and Mikkola with Parayko. That way Parayko pair can be shutdown pair and Faulk pair would presumably spend less time in D zone due to Perunovich's transition skills.
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,544
3,506
San Pedro, CA.
If these are our D, I'd put Perunovich with Faulk and Mikkola with Parayko. That way Parayko pair can be shutdown pair and Faulk pair would presumably spend less time in D zone due to Perunovich's transition skills.

I should’ve mentioned it, but with those pairs I posted, I would assume that Perunovich and Mikkola would swap mid-game in certain situations. Mikkola-Parayko in tough defensive situations, and Perunovich-Faulk on the offensive side.
 

CaliforniaBlues310

Registered User
Apr 9, 2013
4,544
3,506
San Pedro, CA.
I think it would be wiser to bring Scandella back and let Perunovich marinate in the AHL. Why are we rushing Perunovich's development?

I don’t mind this option, but if they’re assuming he’s already NHL-ready, I see them opening up a spot for him.

That’s why I prefer bringing back Scandella and trading Faulk this offseason. That way, if Perunovich does need to marinate in the AHL for a bit, Bortuzzo can just take the 3RD spot for the time being.

Dunn-Pietrangelo
Scandella-Parayko
Perunovich-Mikkola
Bortuzzo

or

Dunn-Pietrangelo
Scandella-Parayko
Mikkola-Bortuzzo
Gunnarsson/TBA
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Spear

MissouriMook

Still just a Mook among men
Sponsor
Jul 4, 2014
7,816
8,147
Perunivich was just announced as being one of the 3 finalists for the Hobie Baker this year, also.
Peter Sejna has survived another year as the highest scorer in this millennium in the year they win the Hobey. He had 82 points in 42 games for Colorado College when he won it in 2003.

:thumbu:
 

Beauterham

Registered User
Aug 19, 2018
1,518
1,280
If memory serves he seemed like kinda a reach to be drafted with a second round pick but looks to be a really solid prospect now, can't wait to see what he can bring to the Blues.

At the moment he is, by far, our most exciting prospect. No idea if and how his skill will translate to the NHL but if he figures it out... we will have a good one. The high praise he receives from other teams coaches says a lot. He was by far the best defenceman in the NCAA.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blueston

MissouriMook

Still just a Mook among men
Sponsor
Jul 4, 2014
7,816
8,147
As far as I have seen, he has played RD throughout his college career. It will be interesting to see if we allow him to continue to play his offside at the AHL/NHL level or if they will work him into the lineup on the left side.
 

simon IC

Moderator
Sponsor
Sep 8, 2007
9,219
7,606
Canada
As far as I have seen, he has played RD throughout his college career. It will be interesting to see if we allow him to continue to play his offside at the AHL/NHL level or if they will work him into the lineup on the left side.
He will have an easier time breaking into the Blues on the left. Bo and Scandella likely gone, and Gunnarson has one more season. On the right, even without Pietro, there is Parayko, Faulk and Bortuzzo.
 

Beauterham

Registered User
Aug 19, 2018
1,518
1,280
As far as I have seen, he has played RD throughout his college career. It will be interesting to see if we allow him to continue to play his offside at the AHL/NHL level or if they will work him into the lineup on the left side.

Him playing on the right side is mostly due to his teammates. UMD basicly had 3 good defencemen: Perunovich, Jets' Dylan Samberg and Nick Wolff (who signed with the Bruins as a FA). All three of them are lefthanded defencemen. There is clearly a gap in quality between these 3 and the rest of the defenceman, so -while giving all three the most opportunities to play- one had to play on his offside. Perunovich was deemed to be the best at it. If my memory isn't forsaking me, in the 18-19-season I believe it was mostly the Kings' Mikey Anderson who played on the right side.

On a side note, Tyler Tucker also played a couple of games on the right side with Flint alternating with, mostly, Kolyachonok or Lalonde.
 

Brian39

Registered User
Apr 24, 2014
7,029
12,744
Him playing on the right side is mostly due to his teammates. UMD basicly had 3 good defencemen: Perunovich, Jets' Dylan Samberg and Nick Wolff (who signed with the Bruins as a FA). All three of them are lefthanded defencemen. There is clearly a gap in quality between these 3 and the rest of the defenceman, so -while giving all three the most opportunities to play- one had to play on his offside. Perunovich was deemed to be the best at it. If my memory isn't forsaking me, in the 18-19-season I believe it was mostly the Kings' Mikey Anderson who played on the right side.

On a side note, Tyler Tucker also played a couple of games on the right side with Flint alternating with, mostly, Kolyachonok or Lalonde.
Flexibility to play either side would certainly help him get into NHL games. Our left side is "weaker" than the right at the moment, but I expect Mikkola to get the first crack at replacing the J-Bo/Scandella role. He is a similar body type and plays a similar style. We also might lose Petro, which would sharply reduce the gap between the right and left. If the team wants to shelter him as a rookie (which they very likely will) then it would make sense to slide Faulk over to the left in the top 4 and let Perunovich be the 3RD those nights.

The ability to comfortably play on the right side just opens up more opportunity for him. Instead of just competing with Gunnar and Mikkola for a spot in the lineup, being ale to play on the right side also lets him compete with Bortz for a spot. I fully expect Perunovich to start in the AHL to get his feet wet at the pro level, but being comfortable on the right side means he has a good chance to be the first call up when injuries hit.
 

Brockon

Cautiously optimistic realist when caffeinated.
Aug 20, 2017
2,304
1,769
Northern Canada
Flexibility to play either side would certainly help him get into NHL games. Our left side is "weaker" than the right at the moment, but I expect Mikkola to get the first crack at replacing the J-Bo/Scandella role. He is a similar body type and plays a similar style. We also might lose Petro, which would sharply reduce the gap between the right and left. If the team wants to shelter him as a rookie (which they very likely will) then it would make sense to slide Faulk over to the left in the top 4 and let Perunovich be the 3RD those nights.

The ability to comfortably play on the right side just opens up more opportunity for him. Instead of just competing with Gunnar and Mikkola for a spot in the lineup, being ale to play on the right side also lets him compete with Bortz for a spot. I fully expect Perunovich to start in the AHL to get his feet wet at the pro level, but being comfortable on the right side means he has a good chance to be the first call up when injuries hit.

Well, with the newly extended Scandella...

Scandella Parayko
X Faulk
X X

We have Mikola, Dunn, Gunnarsson, Bortuzzo and potentially Perunovich available for X, in no particular order. Prior to a Petro extension.

I don't think Perunovich is getting more than a few games next year unless he blows management and the coaching staff away in training camp. Likely a game or two to start the season, then potentially injury call up duty in the back half of the season.

Edit:
I'd be quite happy to see Faulk moved and Petro inked to a 7/8 year deal, but I don't know if Faulk plays ball armed with his NTC.

Edit 2:
Hell, unless we cough up an asset to secure the Faulk selection, I'm not sure if Seattle takes him in the expansion draft after the 2020-21 season if he's left exposed unless his play is noticeably better this year - which, call me a pessimist, I'm not expecting unless he's given Petro's role & ice time to attempt to fill if Petro walks as a UFA.
 
Last edited:

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->