Ottawa Senators’ forward David Perron has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy. Perron, 36, has skated in 40 games with the Senators this season.
On October 27, Perron and his wife Vanessa’s fourth child, Elizabeth, was born and had to undergo surgery to remove a mass on her right lung that, if left untreated, could have potentially caused a heart attack.
Following the birth of his daughter, Perron took an 11-game leave from the team to focus on his family. Coming at the start of the season with a new team, Perron struggled to establish himself in the room.
“It was hard trying to be with a new team. If I was with my old team, or maybe even St. Louis where you’ve been for years, you don’t feel like you have to establish yourself in the locker room and the role you’ll have to be effective,” Perron explained. “I was trying my best. People might think it’s about point production or goal scoring, but it really isn’t. It’s being yourself in the locker room and having a game that you go out there and people respect what you do.”
Perron returned to play four games with the Senators before being sidelined by a back injury that kept him out of the lineup for two months until January 23.
Today, Perron has established himself as a leader both on and off the ice. The veteran forward’s strong offensive play has been integral during the team’s push for the playoffs and has played a large role in the team’s clinch. With the playoffs on the horizon, Perron’s experience and leadership will be an integral part to the young team’s success.
The Bill Masterton trophy is awarded to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The Senators have had two players awarded the Masterton Trophy in the past: Craig Anderson for the 2016-17 season and Bobby Ryan for the 2019-20 season.
Perron was nominated for the award by the Ottawa chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association in a unanimous decision — a well-deserved one at that.
