5 things on my mind: Thanks for the time, David Perron

Through concussions and many goals, and one Cup, "Frenchie" endured.

David Perron had to survive a lot of things in his NHL career. From dirty Joe Thornton to being traded for Magnus Paajarvi, the former St. Louis Blue took many hits in his impressive career, both literally and figuratively-a career that included stops in Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Anaheim, Vegas, and now Detroit.

Perron wasn’t re-signed by the Blues this week, and instead of being a big Debbie Downer about the reality of how a 57-point season can be allowed to run off to the Motor City for an extra $75,000, I’ll just take a quick glance back at his career under the Arch.

While Perron’s best season point wise was with the Golden Knights, he fired off seven seasons with the Blues where he tallied over 45 points. He scored 196 goals in St. Louis, including 22 playoff goals. Perron came back to the Lou three different times (he was traded three times in between), the last reunion coming right before the Stanley Cup season.

Acquired along with Ryan O’Reilly and Tyler Bozak, Perron was among Doug Armstrong’s final pieces to make a real Cup run. As the late Bobby Plager told the three guys before they were introduced at Ballpark Village, it was their job to bring him a Cup. They sure did, and Perron now leaves again after two more solid seasons following the memorable June celebration.

In fact, consistency is among the best traits of Perron, who was drafted 26th overall in the 2007 NHL Draft. Check out his final four seasons in St. Louis:

2018-19: 57 games, 23 goals, 23 assists, 16 points in postseason

2019-20: 71 games, 25 goals, 35 assists, nine power play goals.

2020-21: 56 games, 19 goals, 58 points.

2021-22: 67 games, 27 goals, 57 points, 11 power play goals, nine playoff goals.

Consistency can be sorely missed. The Blues simply couldn’t afford to both shore up their defense (re-signing Nick Leddy) and keep Perron, who went to Detroit in a two-year deal. That contract will take him just past his 36th birthday, which could leave another return to St. Louis possible.

The business side of sports always sours the emotional side. Due to a rigid and strict flat cap, the Blues literally had little extra money to spread around, even to valuable wingers. That doesn’t help the attachment that fans grow and sustain with certain players, especially scrappy talents who can score like Perron. For every bad offensive zone penalty he took, the man could blitz the defense going the other way and finish it with a wicked one-timer.

Nobody on the Blues had a better one-timer last season than Perron. It’s such a quick release that oftentimes it looked like he didn’t even touch before the release. The puck would get cycled around, and then he just unleashed that shot that easily pulled the puck off the ice and into the air. I’ll miss that shot, among other things.

I’ll miss the Perron smile, which beamed wide in interviews and anything having to do with St. Louis. He loved it here: the fans, support, and how he got to share a special moment with the town after they won the Cup.

As my friend Stacy Zemke said in a Facebook post, few partied harder with the fans that night-and shirtless no less-than the lovable Frenchman. He leaves with eleven years in St. Louis, with an open door possibly sticking open in a couple years. If the one-timer is there, take it.

What else is new?

*The Cardinals are forever Jekyll and Hyde. A maddening bunch. A day after narrowly beating the Dodgers 7-6, they cough up a 6-0 lead and end up losing by the same score. You can’t guess what this team is going to do, but poor managing and roster management is included. The blame gets spread all around, so ease up on your Marmol and Mozeliak defenses.

Saturday, he pinch-hit Albert Pujols in a tight game, something the opposing Phillies manager could easily call for an intentional walk against. It wasn’t something longtime Buffa reader Jim Kleinschmidt couldn’t see coming. They lost. Tuesday night, the team needed seven pitchers in an impromptu bullpen start to win 7-6. Wednesday, with his team’s lead drifting away, Marmol left Giovanny Gallegos in the game until he coughed it up.

But the front office made the dumb move to call up T.J. McFarland and sent down impressive left-handed reliever, Zack Thompson. Boy, the young gun would have been useful last night against Los Angeles’s bevy of lefties. Oh well. Thankfully, they didn’t demote Packy Naughton, who has settled nicely into a reliever role.

The Cards sit games out of first today, carrying a closer in Ryan Helsley who isn’t always available. This team needs a true closer. Someone who takes the ball in the ninth, something the sabermetric adoration crowd may not love in its old school simplicity. I say try it. This team hasn’t enjoyed a winning streak in over a month.

*Let me get something about “Stranger Things” out of my mouth real quick. A not-so-small quibble. How many times does Eleven have to be coaxed, inspired, or screamed at by her friends to stand up and kick some ass? This happens in every climatic moment of each season, usually with a nose bleed that doesn’t keep dripping and a lot of passionate screaming. I’m just wondering, as I finish up Season 4 and yet another battle that centers around a tiny alien kid trying desperately to protect her friends and their small town from being eliminated by The Upside Down monster, Vector.

Are you still with me? Take some Ibuprofen and say together with me, “FINISH HIM, EL!” I often find every story line more interesting than hers. Sorry, Millie Bobby Brown fans. And she’s talented and gorgeous, but I can’t wait for her to bust out of this role entrapment. Here’s to a smashing finale and the fifth season, where hopefully it won’t be a bloody showdown between mad Eleven and the Upside Down landlord.

*In much better news, Hulu’s “The Bear” has been greenlit for Season 2. A show unlike any other show, without an Upside Down and mediocre boyfriends. Jeremy Allen White anchors an outstanding cast, and you’ll learn to love and appreciate restaurant staff.

*Salt and Smoke delivery has its perks. Yesterday, I passed through the security gate at Busch Stadium for the first time in a good while to deliver a big order. Apparently, the MLB Network had an inkling for some St. Louis style pulled pork, chicken, and mac and cheese. Under a blazing sun that made human flesh as heated as the food on the table, I set the whole thing up. And then I looked to my right and saw Tyler “Buff Sex God” O’Neill climb out of his red sports car, looking like a million bucks just shit out a Redbird knight. In a shirt just tight enough to hold his biceps ransom, he even gave me a slight nod. As in, “what’s up, bro, wanna see how hard I can punch?”

A BBQ catering delivery can take you anywhere. Thanks for sticking around.

Fun Fact: O’Neill and Harrison Bader drive similar cars, with one of the only differences being the color.