Blues must again find the correct solution on their second power play unit
The Blues suddenly have a choice to make again on their second power play unit.
One of the questions entering the season was about who would run their second unit, since Torey Krug was lost for the season following ankle surgery. Justin Faulk would move up to the top unit, but there was no clear answer on who would step up to run the second one.
From a crowd of Ryan Suter or Colton Parayko or Scott Perunovich, Philip Broberg grabbed the job. He performed well enough in the first 11 games to earn a promotion to the top unit for Saturday's game against the Maple Leafs, but he never got to run it because he suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him out four to six weeks.
Now that the Blues won't have Broberg available for the next month-plus, they'll have to find another solution. On Tuesday night, the Blues turned toward Perunovich, the defenseman who was a healthy scratch in nine of the season's first 12 games but was now thrust into the lineup because of Broberg's injury.
While the Blues held an optional morning skate Tuesday (and did not practice the power play), they used Perunovich at the point on the second unit during practice Monday morning.
This season, Perunovich has totaled 1:54 of ice time on the power play, or 37 seconds a night.
"He hasn't had a lot of touches," Blues coach Drew Bannister said. "He walks the line really well and he moves the puck really well. With both groups, we'd like to see them shoot more. I think that's one thing for Scotty early on, with all of our groups, wanting to get more pucks to the net. I thought we played a little bit more direct in our game on the power play last game vs. Toronto."
Against the Maple Leafs the Blues power play technically went 0 for 4, but Parayko's second goal of the night came just as a Toronto penalty was expiring. Parayko cranked a one-timer from the left side of the ice for his third goal of the season.
Without Broberg, Faulk assumed the quarterback role on the first unit, and Perunovich seems to be getting the first crack at the second unit. Where does that leave Parayko, who has averaged about 25 seconds of power play time per game this season?
"There's certainly an opportunity where we can get him out and get him in certain situations," Bannister said. "Then with Perun being in the lineup, we want to put him that situation. I think we'll toy with it a little bit and see how it goes."
Across the last two seasons, Perunovich's presence on the power play has been steady when he is in the lineup, even if he's also been a frequent healthy scratch. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, the Blues have attempted 6.26 fewer shots, have put 7.48 fewer shots on goal, generated 0.23 fewer expected goals, 3.41 fewer scoring chances and 0.34 fewer high-danger chances per hour with Perunovich on the ice on the power play than when he's off it.
Unsurprisingly, Krug was the best Blues defenseman at generating offense while on the power play.
The Blues power play overall entered Tuesday struggling to produce much. They are 4 for 30 on the season, a 13.3% conversion mark that ranks 28th in the 32-team NHL. St. Louis' top power-play unit has not scored a goal since Oct. 11 in Vegas.
Still missing
The Blues remained without forwards Kasperi Kapanen (upper-body) and Mathieu Joseph (lower-body), and defenseman Nick Leddy (lower-body) due to injuries. Kapanen was the only one of the three to join the Blues on the ice for optional morning skate Tuesday.
Bannister previously said until Joseph or Leddy join the Blues for practice, their status remains unchanged.
With the injuries (plus Broberg's and Robert Thomas' fractured ankle), the Blues are currently without an extra body on the active roster. They did not recall a player from AHL affiliate Springfield.
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