David Perron is now my favorite Blues player

I’ve been writing about the St. Louis Blues for St. Louis Game Time since March 2021. But, unlike my fellow staff writers, I didn’t grow up as a Blues fan and I wasn’t from Eastern Missouri or Southern Illinois. I was actually a really big Chicago Blackhawks fan. I knew everything there was to know about the Blackhawks — both on and off the ice.

But, like most other people in this country, the pandemic forced me out of my (journalism) job. I covered the San Jose State Spartans’ football and men’s basketball teams in San Jose, California. My previous work can be found on the internet. It’s just a Google search away.

I applied to a ton of jobs out of nowhere. I landed this job and a marketing job in St. Louis. Honestly, I didn’t expect Laura to bring me on board, but several conversations later, here we are. I ended up learning about the Blues. Like the sports journalist I am, I put the rivalry aside to cover the team neutrally — or so I thought.

Don’t get me wrong, I still write neutrally or more neutral; but I ended up converting to the Blues after receiving a custom jersey from former Blues forward and center Mike Zuke. The Blues are a fun team to watch, and I’m proud to be a Blues fan. I can watch any NHL game though. I like watching the league in its entirety. If a game is on, I’ll watch it, if nothing better is on. I’m not a picky sports fan. I’m the same way with the NFL, NCAA College Football, and NBA.

I remember my first article for Game Time. I didn’t have a favorite player on the Blues’ roster. I had 10 favorite players, two of which (Mike Hoffman and Jaden Schwartz) are no longer with the team. I figured I’d pick 10 and pick one later. Tens of Game Time articles (and Starbucks coffees) later, I finally decided that David Perron was going to be my favorite player. Here’s why.

I’m not the type to get attached to hockey players because they come and go, but Perron essentially changed my mind. I first heard about him from a friend who’s a huge David Perron fan. At first, I was like, “Yeah ... He’s a good player... He seems like a nice guy.” And I thought that way for a little over nine months.

Then, a light switch went off in my brain on a nice Thursday night in California (I’ve been a digital nomad who travels to different cities since September 2021). I realized how much I enjoyed watching Perron play. He’s a veteran forward and left-wing who provides stability and leadership to an inconsistent Blues offense. Just like Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn, Perron’s offensive firepower has been a bright spot on the Blues’ roster. He has 20 points (eight goals and 12 assists) along with a -3 rating and 14 penalty minutes in 25 games so far this season. Okay, the -3 rating may not be good; but he has been injured in the past — and I’m not harsh about injuries among athletes as I’ve dealt with injuries (and concussions) from girls’ basketball when I was younger.

Perron is a fun player to watch. He adds offensive depth to his line and his team’s offensive unit. He’s a very creative forward who also happens to have a lot of speed, presence, and tenacity. He’s quite dandy with the puck. He could go anywhere in America and Canada, but it speaks volumes how he returned to the Blues not once, not twice, but three times. The third time’s the charm, right? Not every player will stay loyal to the first team that drafted them, but he reportedly has a love for the city, the team, the fans, the media, and anyone that cares about hockey.