Perron set to rejoin Blues Monday

Forward will address situation at 11 a.m. at team's practice facility;

has been out since November with post-concussion syndrome

By LOUIE KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- With the status of David Perron in recent months, the Blues' message was ... well, nothing.

That's because there was no news regarding Perron has been no news. There was no progress, and there was no regression either.

But without jumping the gun and deeming Perron fit and ready to resume his hockey career, the Blues announced that Perron is rejoining the team and will address the media along with Blues GM Doug Armstrong Monday morning at 11 a.m. at the team's practice facility inside St. Louis Mills.

Perron has not played for the Blues since the blindside hit by Joe Thornton that resulted in a concussion and ensuing post-concussion syndrome that has now gone on for 10 1/2 months.

(Getty Images)

Could the return of David Perron (left) be on the horizon for the Blues?

Armstrong said in August that Perron would not not be ready for camp and likely for the start of the season, but since the team is bringing him in and addressing the situation has to be encouraging to both the team and Perron himself.

"There's going to be a process that he's going to have to take," Armstrong said of Perron in August. "You have to remember that he hasn't skated, trained (or) touched a puck for 10 months, so it's not only going to be the conditioning that he's going to have to get up to, it's going to have to be the hockey skill level that he's going to have to get up to; making the puck his friend again and getting through all that stuff."

Perron had gotten off to a strong start for the Blues through 10 games, with five goals and a pair of assists but was leveled near center ice with a Thornton shoulder check in a game on Nov. 4 that resulted in a two-game suspension.

"It's going to be a comfort standpoint that he has to get in the gym," Blues coach Davis Payne also said in August. "From where his body left him versus where he is now, how quickly as a young guy he's able to put that strength back in place. We've got a lot of data and benchmarks that we'll be able to monitor him and be able to say just how close to where he left he is. Then it's going to be a feel level on the ice, a conditioning level on the ice and there's going to be a comfort level with contact.

"When we get down this road, how comfortable is he with those situations? As competitive as he is and the types of areas he plays in, there's going to be a gradual process of each day going forward. There's going to be physical restrictions there, but then there's going to be the, 'Hey, how does the athlete feel' or get him closer and closer to live exercise."

Closer appears to be the operative word here.