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This season has been one of constant change for veteran Blues defenseman Colton Parayko.

He’s remained a constant. But his surroundings have shifted plenty this season.

Parayko has been paired with Nick Leddy — with whom he spent almost every game last season. He skated with Ryan Suter for a month and a half. The Blues took a peek at a potential pairing of the future when Philip Broberg joined Parayko briefly. And now? Parayko’s newest task is to play with the new guy: Cam Fowler.

“He’s an elite player, skates super-well and reads the play super-well,� Parayko said. “He’s a really good asset and brings a lot to our team. Really excited to be able to play with him. Just great player, great person around the room, just glad to have him.�

In the past two games, Fowler and Parayko have played together more than any other defensive pairing for the Blues, logging 36:10 of ice time at five on five during games against the Rangers and Devils. During that small sample size, the Blues have controlled 56.3% of shot attempts, 57.6% of shots on goal and 65.4% of expected goals. The Blues and their opponents have each scored twice.

The Blues traded for Fowler on Saturday, sending ECHL defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka and a 2027 second-rounder to Anaheim for Fowler and a 2027 fourth-rounder. The Ducks also agreed to retain about 38% of Fowler’s salary, which allows him to count $4 million on the Blues cap (his full hit would be $6.5 million).

“I think he’s coming up close to 1,000 games,� Parayko said. “He’s seen it all. He’s been an amazing player in this league for a long time. He just reads the play so well; some of the plays he makes, it might not look like the most fancy play, but they’re good plays. They help out a lot for myself and the forwards as well. He’s a great player.�

Fowler played 991 games with the Ducks and has already played three with the Blues. If he plays in the next five games, it would set up the Winter Classic to be his 1,000th career NHL game.

In adding Fowler to the mix, the Blues have begun experimenting a touch with their pairings in game, even if the normal pairings (Fowler-Parayko, Broberg-Justin Faulk, Suter-Scott Perunovich) still receive the lion’s share of the minutes.

For example, Suter-Faulk have started four shifts together in the defensive zone. Perunovich has started two shifts apiece with Faulk and Fowler in the offensive zone.

“Mostly, it’s just putting people in situations to succeed,� Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “O-zone starts you tend to roll out your more offensive-minded defensemen; D-zone starts, your bigger, defensive-minded defensemen. Also with Fowler coming on board, we have a lot of lefties, so who can play the off-side? We’re getting a little bit of looks at that.�

Sticking together

In the late stages of a 4-1 loss to the Devils on Tuesday night, the temperature turned up after Jonas Siegenthaler’s hit on Jake Neighbours immediately following Jordan Kyrou’s goal. Siegenthaler tripped and shoved Neighbours from behind in the neutral zone, sending him crashing head-first into the boards.

“I think you can call anything: interference, boarding, whatever,� Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich said. “Guy doesn’t have a puck and guy pushing him from behind on the wall. Kind of a dangerous play in my view, but ref see the game different.�

Blues captain Brayden Schenn grabbed Siegenthaler, setting off a scrum, but the officials separated the two parties. There were no penalties called.

On the next shift, Buchnevich buried Siegenthaler in front of the Devils net and then cross-checked him while he was on top of him. In the corner, Robert Thomas cross-checked Johnathan Kovacevic, and then Buchenvich and Siegenthaler exchanged pleasantries after the whistle. Buchnevich, Thomas, Siegenthaler and Kovacevic all received minor penalties.

The final act came with 1:15 left, as Neighbours took a run at Siegenthaler, followed by Schenn again trying to get Siegenthaler to drop the gloves. New Jersey’s Stefan Noesen stepped in to defend his teammate. Schenn, Neighbours, Siegenthaler and Noesen were all given penalties.

“Schenner did a great job,� Buchnevich said. “I like it. Great step up for his teammate, our teammate. We all should learn from that, and everybody should do that.�

• The Blues did not practice Wednesday before flying to Tampa. The team has not practiced since Dec. 9 in Edmonton and does not have one on the schedule until Sunday, one day before the Blues visit Detroit in the final game before Christmas.