The Blues have taken care of one of their pending restricted free agents, announcing the re-signing of defenseman Scott Perunovich to a one-year contract. It’s a one-way deal worth $775K, the NHL minimum for next season.
The 24-year-old was expected to push for a full-time spot with St. Louis in 2022-23. However, he suffered a fractured shoulder in the preseason, causing him to miss six months. Upon his return, Perunovich was assigned to AHL Springfield where he was quite productive, notching 20 points in just 22 games. That earned him a spot with Team USA at the World Championship where he once again put up the points, collecting eight in ten contests.
Perunovich, a 2018 second-round pick, has just 19 NHL regular season games under his belt, all coming in 2021-22. That, coupled with a lengthy injury history, didn’t give him much leverage to work with in contract discussions this summer, even with arbitration eligibility. Instead, the two sides have found a reasonable compromise, one that sees Perunovich take less than his qualifying offer to keep the cap hit low while getting a fully-guaranteed salary. He will once again be a restricted free agent next summer with arbitration rights.
Perunovich is still waiver-exempt next season until he plays in 37 games. As a result, it’s possible that he remains with the Thunderbirds in 2023-24 but if St. Louis is able to move one of their veteran blueliners in the coming days or weeks, he’ll be in line to push for a full-time spot with the Blues while giving their back end a boost offensively.