Senators’ David Perron Understands His Role

On July 1, Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios set out to change the make-up of his club, wanting to surround his young core with proven veterans and Stanley Cup winners.

Staios did just that, swapping defenseman Jakob Chychrun for 33-year-old dependable d-man Nick Jensen in a trade with the Washington Capitals before signing forwards Michael Amadio and David Perron. Each of them has earned Stanley Cup rings with Vegas and St.Louis, respectively.

The Senators GM also made a late addition, adding pesky forward Nick Cousins, who played for the 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

The Senators are Perron’s seventh NHL team. He made his league debut in the 2007-08 season. At 36, the club inked the six-time 20-plus goal scorer to a two-year contract with a $4 million cap hit.

While his point totals have decreased the past five campaigns, to 60, 58, 57, 56, and 47, Perron recorded at least 30 assists in all of them, along with his 113 goals.

Staios recently explained his reasoning as to why he wanted to surround his group with proven winners.

“Part of what we did was we want to surround this core group of players with some experience, some players that won, some players who have gone through the battles. And some players are people who approach the game the way that we feel is the right way, that’s with professionalism and passion. And so bringing in David Perron, Michael Amadio, two players who won Stanley Cups, add a great deal of experience, and are still very good players.”

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Perron arrives in Ottawa understanding his role. The veteran of 1235 games, including playoffs, performed a similar role for the Detroit Red Wings the past two seasons.

“Yeah, I’m excited for that, for my role to play this year to be somewhat similar. This is something that was a little bit newer to me the last couple of years in Detroit. And it was also really rewarding, really exciting. I think you guys saw some growth (with Detroit) – what the team did last year there, at the end of the year, almost made it (to the playoffs) and this is something we want to do. You want to play important games as long as possible down the stretch, and hopefully important games into April and May, but you got to get there. First you got to play the right way to get there and that’s what I’m going to try and help to do,” Perron said Saturday during the Senators visit to Gatineau.

Can the Senators make the playoffs this in 2024-25?

“Well, it’s tough to say in September, I think you have to get into games. You have to get into an identity as a team that “Greener” (Head coach Travis Green) is going to want us to play. And I think it’s been pretty clear from the start of the camp the way he wants us to play with pace. He’s pushing us every drill. Don’t have much time to think out there, because you’re really tired most of the time. He wants us to get used to that, that pace. And I think from there, you have to live in the moment,” noted Perron.

“Whatever happens. You react off of it. And a lot of times you see what you’re made of a little bit when you go through a little bit tougher time, it’s easy to think you’re good if you’re having a good start, or whatever it is. I know it’s it’s really important to have a good start, but we have to go one game at a time and play the way we will want to play moving forward. And we’re learning that with “Greener” right now.”

So far the Blues 26th overall selection in 2007 is enjoying his time in Ottawa with his wife, Vanessa, one of the stars of the Hockey Wives reality series. Perron told assembled media at Centre Slush Puppie, he’s adjusted to life in Ottawa through the activities of his children, Victoria, Mason and Sofia.

“I think having the kids take me everywhere in the city so far, usually from doing it in St Louis and Detroit, I get to know the city a little bit quicker. It’s great that you go to different rinks, different parks. My daughter does soccer, dance, hockey for my son, so I’ve been to six, seven rinks already. And, yeah, I think it takes your mind away from from the game too. I know it’s going to be a great year, but there’ll be some times you’re trying to get away from what maybe goes on at the rink. And I think that kids are doing a good job of that.”

A native of Sherbrooke, Quebec and having an offseason home in Magog, the Senators visit to Gatineau wasn’t lost on Perron.

“I mean, this is great. I think this is a moment where the team is heading in the right direction. And why not try and bring more people, more kids, on board to hopefully live the years that this team will be competitive.”