Scott Perunovich

January 2024 – This has been a significant step forward for Perunovich this season. For the first time, he has a real opportunity in the NHL and has taken full advantage of it. In 31 games played, he has accumulated 12 points, and his one of the best defensemen for the Blues in terms of generating offense. Unfortunately, a setback occurred when the young defenseman, who has been recognized as an injury prone player by our team, got injured in a game against the Kings. The timeline for his return has yet to be determined. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte

September 2023 – With Krug injured, Perunovich had the opportunity to showcase why the undersized defender could step in during his absence. Perunovich was outstanding in the two preseason games he played. Not only did he maintain a high possession rate, posting an expected goals for percentage of 72% in the first game and 50% in the second, but he also achieved this while playing more than 25 minutes in both games. The only criticism against him was his occasional questionable defensive play, but this is unlikely to significantly impact his fantasy value, at least for this season. Cédrick Blais-Turcotte

May 2023 – After a short but remarkable season with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Perunovich was selected by Team USA in the 2023 World Championship. At only 24 years old, he will be one of the oldest d-men on the team. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte 

October 2022 – The Blues announced that Perunovich will undergo shoulder surgery and will be sidelined for at least the next six months. After which, he will be re-evaluated. This is a devastating blow for the young defenceman who looked to have a good chance at securing a spot on the Blues’ backend for opening night. Gordon Munro

April 2022 – It was announced last month that the Blues’ rookie defenseman will likely miss the rest of the season due to a wrist injury that requires surgery. This is a devastating blow to the young defender who missed all of 2021 with a shoulder injury.

It was an up-and-down season for the blueliner: he spent a large part of the year in the NHL but was demoted for a conditioning stint in February, after missing nearly a month on the IR with a reported upper-body injury.

When he was in the AHL earlier in the year, it was obvious that he was one of the best players on the team every time he stepped onto the ice and clearly deserved to be playing at a higher level. He quickly got his opportunity, making his NHL debut on November 16th against Arizona. When he was up with the Blues, he saw his ice-time fluctuate frequently and never had a steady partner to play alongside. Overall, he played 19 games in a Blues sweater, averaging 15:12 of TOI per game and 6 assists for 6 total points. However, he also played 38 minutes on the powerplay (third-most for a Blues defender) and rewarded the coaching staff by producing three assists and three points in that role (third-most of the group).

If this is the last we see of Perunovich in 2021-22, hopefully, he can recover and spend his off-season training. Then, he’d be able to come to training camp and earn a spot on the opening night lineup. He showed the Blues staff that he can be a useful secondary option on the man advantage and could be a valuable piece moving forward. Gordon Munro

March 2020 – After another terrific season at Minnesota-Duluth, Perunovich has been named one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker award. The junior defenseman was second in the nation for blueliners with 40 points in 34 NCAA contests. Cam Robinson

December 2019 – Perunovich has had a sensational start to what should be his last season in the NCAA. He currently boasts the highest points-per-game by a defenseman in the league at 1.31. Perunovich is the Bulldogs’ best player night in and night out and currently leads the team in scoring with 21 points. It’s been a rocky start for the Bulldogs, but Perunovich has been a major bright spot and should be a real contender to be a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award this year. Sam Stern

September 2019 – Perunovich is primed to have another incredibly successful season with Minnesota-Duluth. He was recently named to the NCHC’s 2019-2020 Preseason All-Conference Team. If he stays healthy, expect Perunovich to push a near-point per game pace and to be a legitimate Hobey Baker candidate. Perunovich and the Bulldogs are going to be pushing for a third National Title in a row. They would be the first program to do so since the University of Michigan in 1951-1953. Sam Stern

May 2019 – Perunovich and University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs won their second straight National Title last month. Perunovich was awarded All-American second team honors. As well as being named to the All-NCHC first team. He finished the regular season with 29 points. Perunovich will be returning to Duluth for his junior season. The slick-skating defenseman continues to make the Blues look smart for nabbing him 45th overall in 2018. Sam Stern

April 2019-  The defending champion, Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs have advanced to their third straight Frozen Four. They do so on the back of their best player and two-time NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year, Scott Perunovich. The sophomore defenseman has done a sparkling job on the back-end once again this season. He continues to boast an elite ability to break out of his own end with clean first passes which lead to controlled-zone entries or to take the puck up-ice himself and establish possession that way. Perunovich recorded a beautiful assist in the first period of Bulldogs’ win over the Quinnipiac Bobcats. If the Bulldogs hope to win their second-straight National Championship – and third in a decade – they’ll need their First Team All-NCHC defenseman to continue to carry the load. Sam Stern

March 2019 – For the second straight season, Perunovich led the Bulldogs in scoring. Overall, he saw a dip in his offensive production during his sophomore season with Minnesota-Duluth, but it shouldn’t worry anyone too much. He’s a fantastic skater and a creative force on the back-end, and will play a major role in their run for a second consecutive National Title. Perunovich has recorded eight points in his last 14 games, including seven assists. But was held out of their Quarterfinal series against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend with what appears to be a lower-body injury. It remains to be seen if he’ll play in the Frozen Four stage of the NCHC Tournament. Sam Stern