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ST. LOUIS -- David Perron's time in St. Louis, both eventful and entertaining, has come to an abrupt end.
The Blues sent the 25-year old winger to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday in return for 22-year old forward Magnus Paajarvi and a second-round pick in the 2014 NHL draft.
Paajarvi, 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, has considerably more size than Perron, who is 5-11, 195 pounds. A No. 1 pick for the Oilers in 2009, Paajarvi was the 10th player taken overall. He shoots left and has played wing. He had nine goals and seven assists in 42 games last season for Edmonton. He had 15 goals and 34 points for the Oilers in 2010-11.
He played on a line with Blues center Patrik Berglund for Team Sweden during the 2011 World Championships in which the Swedes finished second. Paajarvi got the news at his home in Noorkoping, Sweden, at 10:45 p.m.
"It definitely came as a shock," Paajarvi said. "You never know in this business. I suspected if anything would have happened, it would have happened during the draft.
"I was focused on the season in Edmonton. Right now, I'm a little overwhelmed, but I'm actually very excited for a new chapter here, I talked to (Blues general manager) Doug Armstrong and my first feeling is all good, exciting."
A No. 1 draft pick in 2007, the 26th choice overall, Perron scored 84 goals and 114 points in six seasons and 340 games for the Blues. His time in St. Louis was sometimes controversial, sometimes tragic and sometimes triumphant.
It began awkwardly, as he fell in and out of favor with coach Andy Murray during his first two seasons. However, Perron broke through with 20 goals and 27 assists in 2009-10, as Davis Payne succeeded Murray behind the bench.
But early in the 2010-11 season, Perron absorbed a blow to the head on a mid-ice hit from San Jose's Joe Thornton. He suffered concussion symptoms that kept him inactive for more than a year. But on Dec. 3, 2011, he made a triumphant return, scoring a goal at Scottrade Center in a loss to the Blackhawks.
Perron went on to stage a remarkable comeback season, scoring 21 goals and 42 points in 57 games. Despite high expectations for 2012-13, a four-month lockout abbreviated the NHL season. Perron had 10 goals and 15 assists while playing all 48 games.
But his season ended with a prolonged slump. He scored one goal over the last 21 regular season games and then had just one assist in the playoffs.
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