Perron signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract (average annual value $3.75 million) on July 1 to return to the place he spent the first six seasons in the League. From 2013-16, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Ducks.
Perron was signed to offset the Blues losses in free agency when forwards David Backes and Troy Brouwer, key components in St. Louis' run to the conference final, signed elsewhere.
"He wants to be a difference maker," center Patrik Berglund said of Perron. "He has high expectations and he seems hungry. Obviously that's good to hear."
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Perron, who had 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists) in 82 games, isn't looking to be the centerpiece; he just hopes to be a piece of the puzzle.
"I look at him as a player that can help us win hockey games," coach Mike Yeo said. "He's playing really well without the puck right now. It allows us to play him in important roles, whether it's D-zone shifts, whether it's shifts against top lines.
"On top of that, he has a way of creating offense and creating momentum for your team as far as how he hangs onto the puck, puck strength and ability to find guys and to distribute the puck. He's proven that he can get to the net, get some opportunities around those hard areas, which obviously come playoff time is very important."
Perron, in his 10th season, has been a streaky point producer throughout his career, but has refined his game.
"I think I added stuff, but I also think [the media's] perspective, maybe the fans' perspective changed," Perron said. "When I was younger, I was here before [Vladimir Tarasenko], before [Jaden Schwartz] and yeah, you want to be a first-line player and scoring like [Tarasenko] is, but it doesn't happen for everybody.
"Sometimes perception on someone is so [high], it makes a big difference. I think for me, having gone through other experiences, it builds your character when it doesn't go as well, either with teams or with you individually."
