Blues Sign David Perron

NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent discuss the new deal for forward David Perron as well as his thoughts on Erik Johnson.

On Wednesday the St. Louis Blues announced that talented forward David Perron had agreed to a two year contract. Per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch the deal breaks down in to $1.8 million in 2010-2011 and $2.5 million in 2011-2012.

This contract could prove to be a steal of a deal for the Blues. Perron is a highly skilled offensive juggernaut in the making. All the tools are there. The stick skills, the vision, the dangling and the burning desire to score. Take a look at what he does to Mark Striet and tell me he doesn’t have “it”. There are few players out there being paid less than $2 million next season who have the ability to post a 25 goal, 50 point campaign. The relative cost to output should allow the Blues some flexibility down the road to add salary to fill deficiencies elsewhere.

For all the potential positives the contract brings, there are tangible concerns as well.

David still lacks (or appears to at times) the realization of that killer attitude to compete on the ice. That is why the Blues were wanting a term of two years and not four or five. At times his level of effort on the ice has drifted. Needing a “4th line reminder night” or two in hopes that he understands the difference between walking the walk and talking the talk. The Blues hope here is that David sees this contract as a challenge. A taste of the NHL and a reminder that there is much more to be done.

Few will that his passion is there, it just doesn’t always show.

The Blues front office can now put their full attention on taking care of franchise cornerstone, defenseman Erik Johnson. The 1st Overall selection from the 2006 NHL Draft has yet to sign a new deal. As mentioned on Thursday by Rutherford on Twitter the Blues are not close to reaching an agreement with Johnson. He quoted Blues GM Doug Armstrong as saying, “I do feel the goal posts are getting closer, but we’re not where either side is ready to accept the other’s position.” Johnson’s agent, Pat Brisson, also confirmed with Rutherford that they are looking for a short term extension. Perron’s contract does not set a precedent for Johnson, but the contracts will likely end up similar in their structure. Before the season ended the early conjecture was that Erik was looking for a deal similar to draft roommate Jonathan Toews. A season lost to injury sandwiched between inconsistent seasons has raised red flags in the Blues camp. With no investor coming in to replace TowerBrook the Blues are hard pressed to sign long term deals. Especially when the commodity has not been proven.

Speculation points to Johnson to taking a two year deal in the $4 million to $6 million range.

Make no mistake, the Blues want and expect Johnson to become the cornerstone they drafted him to be. They want to see him prove it before they start signing the checks.

For those Blues fans concerned with the enforcer situation. There is no news on the return of DJ King. He will likely be re-signed, it’s just a question of when. I do not expect both to start the season on the NHL roster as they did in 2009-2010. Expect one or both to go to the Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, to start off 2010-2011.

For those interested…

I run a weekly Blues Q&A on Twitter. Three questions a week and two days to vote on each question. Friday is Question #3 for the week with voting going through 11:59pm Central on Saturday. Follow me @MuSigma45. So far this week Blues fans have voted on the Blues staying out of Kovy-drama and if the time is right to make David Backes the Captain. Check in tomorrow morning for Question 3.

Jeff Quirin
NHLHS St. Louis Blues Correspondent
jquirin@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @MuSigma45