http://youtube.com/watch?v=3Yv9Vtq6bXA?rel=0
David Perron's lengthy offensive slump has finally ended. Stuck in one of his worst offensive slumps of his career, Perron finally broke through with a nifty redirection on a David Backes shot that beat Phoenix goaltender Chad Johnson.
Perron's goal was his first since March 12th when he lit the lamp against San Jose. During the 16-game stretch where Perron couldn't buy a goal, he contributed just four assists. While it's fair to say the entire St. Louis offense has sputtered, Perron's struggles were magnified due to his history of producing at nearly a point-per-game pace for a chunk of 2013 and a large portion of 2011-12.
Despite Perron's extended drought, he still ranks second on the Blues in total points with 25. This stat goes to show you that when Perron is on he's a big contributor and a key figure in the St. Louis offense.
His goal against Phoenix was a thing of beauty and one that fully displays what Perron is capable of. This is partially what makes his slump so frustrating. We know what he's capable of. We know that he can make opposing defenders look silly and give goaltenders a sunburn by regularly lighting the lamp. Expectations were high for Perron now that he was entering a new season free from injury. Unfortunately, Perron has underachieved and added insult to injury by taking numerous penalties in the offensive zone. Simply, the Blues expect more from a guy they gave a four-year, $15.25 million contract to following the 2011-12 season.
Has Perron finally turned the corner? Will he recapture the form that saw him tally 21 goals and 42 points in 57 games in 2011-12? That's yet to be seen, but the Blues and their struggling offense need guys like Perron to get the ball rolling if they hope to make a run in the playoffs.
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