Newcomer Perron is another weapon in Oilers’ offensive arsenal
Scores five goals in pre-season games
EDMONTON — Dallas Eakins is not one of those coaches who subscribes to the philosophy that a team should retreat into a defensive stance to protect a lead.
He wants the Edmonton Oilers to protect a lead by attacking and scoring goals — a bonus for David Perron, a winger who is equipped with the hands of a goal scorer.
In four pre-season games with the Oilers, he’s put away a team-high five goals and registered one assist. He scored his fourth and fifth goals in Tuesday’s 5-3 win over the New York Rangers, skating alongside Mark Arcobello and Jordan Eberle.
“It’s a new challenge. Completely different style of hockey — one that I really enjoy playing in,” Perron said. He arrived in Edmonton this summer by way of a trade with the St. Louis Blues, a deal that saw Magnus Paajarvi depart for the U.S. Midwest.
“The biggest thing is that between the periods, whether it’s 4-1 or 4-2, it doesn’t matter, he wants us to keep playing the exact same way,” Perron continued. “I can play both games (offensively and defensively) but the way I came up, was by playing offence and it is fun to play hockey that way — in my opinion.”
For the previous six seasons, Perron, 25, was tied to the defensive style of play that is favoured by Blues coach Ken Hitchcock. He registered two 20-goal seasons and put away 10 in last season’s lockout-shortened campaign.
But the Blues needed to clear up some cap room and deemed Perron expendable, so the Oilers sent Paajarvi to St. Louis, along with a secondround draft pick.
Perron, a 2007 first-round pick for St. Louis (26th overall) has three years remaining on a $15.25-million contract. Paajarvi, selected by Edmonton 10th overall in 2009, is still trying to find his footing on a team that is carrying 13 forwards with one-way contracts.
He’s been playing left wing with Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Tarasenko, but the Blues added Brenden Morrow to the mix, so someone is going to be flipped to another team or assigned to Peoria. Hitchcock said Paajarvi will be a two-way player, but there are still aspects of his game that need work.
As for Perron, he is quick to caution it is the pre-season but also admitted he’d rather find his scoring touch now as opposed to later. “I’m just get- ting back to form. Hopefully it carries over to the season,” he said. “I just have to keep working.
“When you’re coming into a new team, it’s nice to show management what you can do after they’ve brought you in. Secondly, it gives you that personal confidence when you go into the regular season rather than have it go the other way.
“I do think it’s the way that I play that’s giving me success. I’m really working hard and playing with Eberle I don’t even have to think about scoring. He’ll end up finding you. Same with Arcobello.”
Eakins began tracking Perron’s career when he was the director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He watched the winger at the Memorial Cup at the behest of the Leafs brass, he then saw him jump from the QMJHL to the NHL after one year of major junior, and now he is watching him settle into a role with the Oilers.
“That puck follows him around. That’s the first thing,” Eakins said. “The second thing is that he can score goals in a number of ways, whether it’s a light touch or ripping it. We have a few guys on our team who have great hands. That’s the thing. On some teams, they have to generate chance after chance after chance and eventually they score.
“We have guys with hands like (Perron), so you better not give us one or two (opportunities) because there’s a good chance they’re going into the net.”
The Oilers close out the pre-season Friday against the Dallas Stars, in a game that will be played in Oklahoma City, home of the Oilers AHL affiliate. The Barons got more additions when another round of cuts was made after the Rangers game.
Defenceman Taylor Fedun and forwards Tyler Pitlick and Anton Lander were reassigned, while defenceman Darnell Nurse was sent back to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. On Wednesday morning, the Oilers also put Ryan Jones on waivers. If he isn’t picked up, he’ll head to Oklahoma City.
With the numbers pared, Eakins will likely look at his defensive pairings and offensive trios against the Stars. Perron could continue to play with Eberle or could get bumped up to play with Hall and Hemsky in place of Ryan Smyth.
“He’s an offensive guy, a big guy, and any time you add those two things together, it’s dangerous,” Eberle said. “We just seem to have a connection right now.”