Torey Krug might miss the entire season with arthritis. If he misses time, the injury will create an opportunity for Scott Perunovich.
Krug Injury Creates An Opening In The Lineup
Krug’s arthritis diagnosis was announced earlier in the week. How long he misses is still to be determined. Krug will be re-evaluated in six to eight week to determine if he will need surgery. If he does, he will miss the entire 2024-25 season. Regardless of whether he needs surgery or not, Krug will most likely miss time.
Heading into the new season, Krug was going to be one of the Blues main left-handed defenceman. Furthermore, Krug would have resumed his role as the captain on the main power play unit. The Blues will need someone to step up and fill the role.
Perunovich Can Fill The Opening
Perunovich’s scouting report and play so far in his short career is similar to Krug. Perunovich does not have much size, which does factor into his defensive game. His strengths, however, can benefit any offence. He can carry the puck out of the defensive zone to start the transition to offence. He can handle the puck and extend plays.
What stands out on his scouting report is that he is considered a power play captain. His skill with the puck allows him to keep the puck in the zone while looking for an open teammate. If the puck does clear the zone, he can get it back in with a long pass. Furthermore, those long passes can lead to odd-man rushes on offence.
Perunovich’s strength is clearly as an offensive defenceman. He demonstrated that in 2020, when he won the Hobey Baker Award as a prospect. Additionally, when the Blues signed Krug in 2020, some were puzzled by the move because of Perunovich rise as a prospect. Furthermore, at the time of the Krug signing, Perunovich was only a few years away from playing in the NHL.
Major Opportunity Awaits Perunovich
Perunovich has only played in 73 NHL games. He has 23 points, all assists. Despite having a strong scouting report and success in the minors, Perunovich has not had much time in the NHL.
However, that can change this year. First off, the Blues signed Perunovich to a one-way contract earlier in the summer. Whether he plays in the NHL or the minor leagues, Perunovich will be paid the same. While there are exceptions to the rule, players who get one-way contracts typically remain at the NHL level. As such, it is expected that Perunovich will have a role with the Blues this year.
This role has only gotten bigger with the Krug injury. No other left-handed defenceman on the roster fits Krug’s style of play like Perunovich does. The closes would be Pierre-Oliver Joseph and the newly-signed Ryan Suter. However, if the Blues want to see what the young Perunovich can do, it makes sense to first try him in Krug’s spot.
Perunovich’s Defensive Partner
If Perunovich takes Krug’s spot, he will likely be paired with either Colton Parayko or Justin Faulk. It seems Parayko would be the better pairing. Parayko is a defensive defencemen, but he can get involved on offence. Furthermore, Perunovich’s puck-handling skills can be a nice compliment to Parayko’s ability to pinch into the zone, not to mention his slap shot.
Is This A Make Or Break Opportunity For Perunovich?
It seemed unlikely that the Blues were going to be able to trade Krug and his contract this off-season. This is a unexpected opportunity for Perunovich. The only thing that was holding him back from a spot on the top of the defensive pairs, other than a 2023 injury, was Krug being on the team. Now that Krug is seemingly out of the picture for now, this is the time for Perunovich to strike.
If Perunovich can take advantage of the opportunity, the job will be his to keep. If he cannot, the Blues may have to reconsider Perunovich’s place in the team’s future. At the very least, they may be resistant to give him time in that spot.
To say this is a make or break situation may seem a little harsh for a player who has only played in 73 games. However, opportunities like this do not appear every day. Perunovich needs to channel his inner Lou Gehrig and Kurt Warner and take the job from the symbolic Wally Pip and Trent Green.
This is Perunovich’s time to shine.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
