The Cam Fowler acquisition by the St. Louis Blues bolstered their depth on defence. Furthermore, the trade also opens the door for the Blues to make a stronger push for the playoffs this season. However, the trade is not popular among Blues fans. Some feel the trade does not make sense given Fowler’s age. Others feel Fowler’s presence is blocking youngsters from getting time on the ice. However, the new defenceman is not blocking any Blues youngsters. On the contrary, he is allowing room for further development.
Current Blues Defensive Group
The current defensive group on the Blues roster is made up of mainly veterans. The only two youngsters in the defensive group is Philip Broberg and Scott Perunovich. They join veterans Fowler, Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Ryan Suter, and Pierre-Olivier Joseph.
Broberg’s Role has not Changed
We will start with Broberg. Broberg is firmly set in the top-four on the Blues defence. Since joining the Blues, Broberg has earned his minutes and his spot on the pairings. He has played like a true top-four defenceman and could be a long-term solution there for the Blue Note. Despite Fowler joining the team and taking a spot on the top-four, Broberg still remains in that role. The only thing that has changes is who is partner is. Sometimes it is Faulk. Other times it is Parayko. However, Broberg is clearly not being blocked by Fowler.
Jury Still Out on Perunovich
Perunovich is whose name comes up the most when fans express concern that Fowler is blocking youngsters. The defenceman came into the season with an uncertain role, but has played well. But, is he being blocked by Fowler? No, he is not. It is true the former first-round pick is playing well this season, but there is something important that needs to be noted. Despite playing well, Perunovich is not in the lineup every game. After being in the lineup on December 7th, Perunovich went three games as a healthy scratch before joining the lineup against this past Sunday. Keep in mind, two of the three games Perunovich sat were before Fowler joined the team.
Despite playing better this season, the Blues clearly do not feel Perunovich is ready to have a regular spot in the lineup. Keep in the mind, the Blues are in a retool. If Perunovich was playing to a certain level, the Blues would gladly be giving him more time on the ice. However, the reality is he is not. Look at it this way. If Perunovich is losing playing time to players like Pierre Olivier-Joseph and Matthew Kessel, how can we say Fowler is blocking Perunovich? Fowler being on the team has nothing to do with Perunovich’s playing time.
Defensive Prospects Need Further Development
The Blues have some defensive prospects who have potential. The most notable is Theo Lindstein. However, Lindstein has yet to play in the American Hockey League yet. As a result, he is not one who is being blocked by Fowler. Lindstein still needs to time his develop his game. Once he reaches the AHL, he may encounter some challenges due to the new league and skill level.
Lindstein is just one many Blues youngsters who need more development time. In the AHL, there is some defensive talent down there as well. In addition, some have even seen time in the NHL. Matthew Kessel (who was recently sent down) and Tyler Tucker are the prominent AHL defenceman who have seen NHL time. However, there situation is similar to Perunovich. If both were playing at the level the Blues needed, they would be in the NHL right now getting time in the lineup. They are playing in the minor leagues for a reason. They are still young and have areas to improve in. For them, the best thing for their development is to play in the AHL where they can receive consistent playing time and continue to develop. Kessel has 67 NHL games under his belt while Tucker has 52. That is many games for either. Neither Kessel or Tucker are losing NHL time as a result of Fowler.
The remaining defenceman on the AHL roster are simply not ready for the NHL yet. Some do have a small sample size at the NHL level. Others impressed this last preseason. They will get their opportunity, just not yet. These Blues youngsters need more development time. As a result, they are not losing NHL time as a result of Fowler.
The Bottom Line
The Fowler trade was certainly puzzling at first. However, there is no defenceman who is losing playing time because of him. Some have not played to the level warranting more ice time, while others simply need more time to develop. In a way, Fowler’s presence on the team is actually benefiting the youngsters in the Blues organization. In addition to helping the Blues compete for a playoff spot, Fowler is extending the development time for Blues youngsters.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
