One St. Louis Blues player expected to make season debut Thursday

Scott Perunovich, a healthy scratch the first seven games, is projected to slot into the lineup on defense for Matthew Kessel

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – Scott Perunovich could finally get his chance Thursday.

The St. Louis Blues defenseman, a healthy scratch the first seven games of the season and in danger of going on waivers before a rash of injuries has bitten the team, looks like will slot into the lineup for the Blues (4-3-0) when they begin a four-game road trip against Craig Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs (4-3-0) on Thursday.

Perunovich was skating in a trio with P.O. Joseph and Matthew Kessel in the bottom third pairing but it looks like Perunovich, who was running the second power-play unit in practice, will play alongside Joseph.

“I think there’s a good chance he’s going to be a player for us tomorrow,” Blues coach Drew Bannister said of Perunovich. “That’s one of his spots he’s got to thrive in, so here’s the opportunity for him. He’s going to get the chance. Now it’s up to him to take that chance and run with it.”

Perunovich played in 54 of his 73 NHL games last season and had 17 points – he has 26 in his career.

As for Kessel, it’s been a bit of a struggle this season for the 2020 fifth-round pick. He had a tough game in a 3-2 loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and doesn’t have a point yet in six games.

“We’ve been trying to get ‘Kess’ where he was last year,” Bannister said. “I don’t think he’s far off it. I find his decision-making right now is slow. I’d like to see a little quicker plays with him, but the biggest thing for me is from last year to this year, I thought last year he came in with a purpose to become real physical and I’m not seeing that from him right now. That’s what we need out of him.”

The Blues ran the following lines/defensive pairings in practice Wednesday:

Saad-Schenn-*Sundqvist

Texier-Buchnevich-Kyrou

Bolduc-Holloway-M. Joseph

Toropchenko-Faksa-Kapanen

Suter-Parayko

Broberg-Faulk

P.O. Joseph-Perunovich

Binnington

Hofer

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