On July 1, 2024, David Perron signed a two-year, $8 million contract. It was anticipated that he would immediately make a strong impact on the ice and in the room.
It simply took time for the Ottawa Senators of 2024–25. Perron was a great example of experienced depth. depth that has been lacking in this organization lately. His skill set was different from that of his predecessors. Perron wasn’t only a guy who was offensively minded and had bad defensive numbers; he was also good on the boards, liked to win stick battles, and felt at ease going to the soiled parts of the ice.
The 2024–25 season has been the most difficult and unpleasant of David Perron’s career, which is unfortunate for both the Senators and him. Additionally, the forward was selected as the Senators’ Bill Masterton Trophy nominee by the Ottawa chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association in recognition of his tenacity.
Every year, the National Hockey League player who best demonstrates the “qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey” is given the Bill Masterton Trophy.
Through various tests, Perron and his wife Vanessa learned in mid-August that their baby daughter Elizabeth would need surgery. There were worries that, if treatment wasn’t received, their baby’s right lung mass, which was pressing so hard against the chest, might cause a heart attack.
Before taking an 11-game leave of absence after the birth of his daughter, the forward participated in the Senators’ first five games.
Despite a lack of production, Perron’s line with Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio had strong underlying numbers. The trio was arguably the Senators’ best line through the early stretches of the season, but without that production, Perron felt like he was struggling to establish himself as a figure within the Senators’ room.
“It was hard trying to be with a new team,” Perron acknowledged. “If I was with my old team or maybe even St Louis, where you’ve been many years, you don’t feel like you have to establish yourself in the locker room and the role you’ll have to be effective. It just felt like I couldn’t do that at all.”
Perron elaborated.
“I was trying my best, and people might think it’s about point production or goal scoring,” he explained. “It really isn’t. It’s just kind of being yourself in the locker room and having a game that you go out there, and people respect what you do.
Your effort is sincere. They appreciate it when you do that. I believe I’ve been successful in proving that. I’m pleased with it. I want to add to it and continue doing it.”
Perron would play in four games after making his comeback to the Senators’ lineup on November 16 before missing the following 27 games due to an unspecified upper-body injury.
This ailment, which Perron admitted happened during a Montreal preseason game, continued to bother him throughout the season’s early going.
The injury kept him out of the lineup until late January, but even after he returned, the bad luck continued. While attending a team practice on February 20, Perron’s wife and daughter were driving into Kanata when their vehicle was involved in a T-bone collision after another driver blew through a stop sign.
Fortunately, the injuries from that motor vehicle collision were minor, but the accident represented another instance in which the family’s problems continued to compound.
The good news is that it can have a bittersweet end.
In the aftermath of that accident, Perron has played at an incredibly high level.
“Our team’s playing good hockey,” Perron acknowledged, “and we’re finding different ways to win, whether it’s good goalie performance or (team) defense.” “To win games where you feel we weren’t necessarily at our best. That’s a good feeling.
This is something that I hope you guys see, too.” The winger has scored eight goals and tallied 11 points in his last 19 games since March 1. The fans are thrilled because it’s one thing to beat a good team when you’re playing your best, but to win when you’re not always, I think that’s even more exciting and gives us a chance to re-energize even more.”
Perron continued.
“I’ve had wonderful teammates and amazing people aiding me early in my career to teach me what type of teammate I needed to be at those moments. If you succeed subsequently, people will be even more pleased and proud of you. To make others even more thrilled for you when it’s your turn, you want to always be a good teammate and a nice person. And I was constantly paying close attention to that. It’s, it’s a major issue.”
Candidates for the Masterton Trophy
There were plenty of Masterton contenders among the Senators
If Josh Norris hadn’t been dealt to Buffalo at the deadline, he would have been worthy. Despite the brutality of the game, Norris rebounded to three shoulder operations with a 20-goal year.
Adam Gaudette, a journeyman forward, spent the previous two seasons in the AHL before rejoining the Senators. The veteran turned his turbulent preseason output into an earned role in his eighth professional season, eventually becoming a regular in the NHL. That output persisted throughout the season’s early going, and with 74 games completed, Gaudette leads the team in five-on-five goals with 13.
Gaudette and I had a chance to discuss his season.
It demonstrates that I have made progress in those areas, and in the coaches’ opinion, playing a complete season feels wonderful after earning their trust and becoming a regular.
Gaudette’s role has changed over the season. His performance carried over into the regular season after a turbulent preseason won him a spot with the Senators to start the season.
Due to injuries, he was able to play alongside talented linemates at the top of the Senators’ lineup.
The traveler made a profit.
He started as a winger in the top six and had time on the team’s second power play unit, scoring 13 goals and dishing out 15 points in his first 26 games.
However, since then, Gaudette’s role and duties have decreased due to the return of some talented forwards. He is currently anchoring the team’s fourth line in a checking line role, however he still gets occasional power play ice time.
“Yeah, that’s something I kind of prided myself on,” agreed Gaudette. “The ability to perform various jobs in various contexts and just being useful in that regard.
“I won’t be a player that always plays the best minutes and on the first line, but I can fill in when necessary. When I’m on the fourth line, I just concentrate on playing that smart, two-way game rather than trying to score. concentrating more on staying in the proper positions, staying above the puck, and not giving up anything on the defensive end. 
I think that has helped me stick in the lineup and really solidified my spot on the fourth line here.”
