May 31: There is certainly mutual interest, as Armstrong came right out and told reporters including Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic that he wants to bring Perron back. In what can often be a difficult period for pending free agents, this appears to be a relatively easy situation for both sides.
May 30: With the St. Louis Blues’ season now over, the focus of the team can now shift more fully towards their offseason. This summer looks like it will be a reasonably busy one for GM Doug Armstrong. He has several notable players hitting either restricted or unrestricted free agency and potential extensions to ponder for players approaching their own free agencies a year from now. One of the most important players now out of a contract is winger David Perron.
Perron, 34, has spent the past four seasons in St. Louis and that stretch represents his third separate tenure as a Blue. These past four years have been the most productive of his career, and this has led people to wonder if he would depart St. Louis once again to cash in on what could be his last guaranteed chance at a long, lucrative contract. While that speculation is reasonable, it appears that Perron has different priorities. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Perron “wants to go back” to St. Louis. He states that he expects Perron to sign an extension to remain a Blue “unless [Friedman] is told otherwise.”
As has been previously mentioned, Perron has enjoyed some of the best seasons of his career in these past four years, and he plays a major role on a team intent on winning another Stanley Cup. Perron had 70 points in 79 games this season (including the playoffs) and is part of the core group of players that led the team to its first championship. While the allure of a bigger contract or new opportunities attracts many players towards departing their teams as free agents, it seems from this report that Perron values continuity and familiarity over the unknown of the open market. It’s an entirely reasonable preference that should, in theory, help the Blues as they negotiate his extension.
From the perspective of rival clubs, the free agent market this summer may have lost one of its most talented scorers. So for other teams in need of offensive talent, the market for those players may have just gotten a little bit thinner.
He’s 34, After age 32 It’s one year at a time and alot less money, Perron’s better days are behind him. 1 yrs. at 2.75. That’s It.
$2.75? That’s an insane discount for a guy that was just under a point per game this year. I say he gets 3 years and around $5-6 million AAV, that’s about the market value for a player his age with that production.
Dallas had Pavelski 3×7 at roughly the same age and he was the teams leading scorer last year with 81pts (37 years young)
(nods to Gowings2008) Yeah. I am not remotely a fan of giving more than two year deals to guys Perron’s age, but I’m also not a fan of treating a guy like he’s in sharp decline before he, well, actually declines. He’s still providing capable top-line-level production, and $5-6 million AAV is reasonable … as long as St Louis doesn’t lose their minds and give him three or more years on it.
It should be noted that any time Perron has had a decision on where to go, he’s signed with the Blues. Three different times.
It should also be noted that every time he plays for a team that is not the Blues, he blows.
He was terrible as a Duck, terrible as a Pen, terrible as an Oiler.
He’s great as a Blue.
Martin Straka was the same. Bad with Florida and Ottawa and the Isles (had a good year with Jagr on Broadway once, I think) but great with the Pens.
He was almost a PPG player for the Golden Knights (66 in 70 games.) Not quite ‘blowing.’
28G 29A in 2013/14 for the Oilers too. Every team should have players who “blow” like that.
Well, certainly, those are Gretzky like numbers for a Pred.
I pretty clearly forgot his Vegas stint. Point stands, Perron is a Blue and he knows it.
The Preds picked Jonathan Blum 3 spots ahead of the Blues taking Perron. David Poile at his finest. :/
I’m just saying that after a player hits there 32nd birthday GMs have to consider that the player Is going to begin to trend the wrong way. The Blues also have several young future star type players. The Blues are a playoff team without Perron.
If they can come to a deal that works for both sides, then why not do it? He can play on any of the top 3 lines, is part of the leadership group and wants to stay there. Sounds like a good match.
Pavelski Is a huge exception to the rule. Perron Is a gamble for the Blues future, I wouldn’t roll the dice on him, St.Louis simply has to many good players to resign Perron at his age.
Husso Is the only Blues UFA that I’d resigne.