David Perron facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Perron
Perron with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018
Born	(1988-05-28) May 28, 1988 (age 37) Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Ottawa Senators St. Louis Blues Edmonton Oilers Pittsburgh Penguins Anaheim Ducks Vegas Golden Knights Detroit Red Wings
NHL Draft	26th overall, 2007 St. Louis Blues
Playing career	2007–present

David Perron (born May 28, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a left wing for the Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League (NHL).

David grew up in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He played junior hockey for the Lewiston Maineiacs and helped them win the President's Cup in 2006. Because of his great play, the St. Louis Blues picked him in the first round of the 2007 NHL entry draft. Perron has played for several NHL teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Vegas Golden Knights, and Detroit Red Wings. He is best known for his time with the St. Louis Blues, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2019.

Playing Career

Early Hockey Days

David Perron was born on May 28, 1988, in Sherbrooke, Quebec. As a young player, he played in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. Even though he was a good player, he was not picked in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) draft at first.

He then played for the Saint-Jérôme Panthers and scored 69 points in 51 games. Despite this, no NHL teams interviewed him, and he was not drafted in 2006.

Perron had a fantastic first season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He led the Lewiston Maineiacs in scoring with 39 goals and 83 points. His scoring caught the eye of NHL scouts. He helped the Maineiacs win their first President's Cup. He also played in the Memorial Cup, scoring 12 goals and 16 assists.

Professional Hockey

First Time with the St. Louis Blues (2007-2013)

Perron in 2010

The St. Louis Blues chose David Perron in the first round of the 2007 NHL entry draft. He was the 26th player picked overall. Perron was determined to make the team right away. He signed a three-year contract with the Blues in September 2007. The team's president, John Davidson, praised his "amazing creativity and offensive skill."

Perron started the season with the Blues after a strong training camp. He was one of the youngest players in Blues history to make his NHL debut. On November 3, 2007, he scored his first NHL goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished his first season with 13 goals and 27 points in 62 games. He was also chosen for the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game.

Perron in 2010

Perron rejoined the Blues for the 2008–09 season. He scored three goals in a preseason game. His hard work impressed the team's management. Perron had a very successful season, leading the team in assists by January. He often played with other young players like Patrik Berglund and T. J. Oshie. This group was called the Kid Line and helped boost the team's energy. He helped the Blues reach the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs.

For the 2009–10 season, Perron was expected to play a big role. He scored his first regular season hat trick on November 10, 2009. A few days later, he scored a goal that fans voted as one of the best moments of the season. He finished his third season with a career-high 20 goals in 82 games.

In 2010, Perron signed a new two-year contract with the Blues. He started the 2010–11 season well, scoring five goals in his first ten games. However, he suffered a serious injury in November that made him miss 13 months of play. He returned to the team in December 2011. Perron helped the Blues improve their standings. He finished the 2011–12 season with 42 points in 57 games.

The Blues made it to the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. Perron scored the winning goal in Game 4 against the San Jose Sharks. This goal was voted the Best Moment of the season by Blues fans. After the playoffs, Perron signed a new four-year contract. However, the next season would be his last with the team for a while. He scored 10 goals in 48 games.

Edmonton Oilers (2013-2015)

Perron with the Edmonton Oilers in September 2014

On July 10, 2013, Perron was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers coach, Dallas Eakins, liked Perron's competitive spirit. Perron played well in preseason games. He started the season strong but missed some games due to illness and a neck injury. In his first season with the Oilers, Perron tied for the team lead in goals. He was chosen to play for Team Canada in the 2014 IIHF World Championship but could not due to an injury.

In his second year with Edmonton, Perron started late because of a hip injury. He was frustrated with the team's losses and felt things needed to change.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2015-2016)

On January 2, 2015, Perron was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He said he wanted to win, and it wasn't happening in Edmonton. He had 19 points in 38 games when he was traded. He scored a goal in his first game with the Penguins. He scored five goals in his next six games. However, his scoring slowed down, and he went goalless in the last 12 games of the season. After the playoffs, Perron shared that he had been playing with a rib injury.

Before the 2015–16 season, Perron trained hard and felt much better. He was excited to play alongside star players like Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel. He also changed his jersey number to 57.

Anaheim Ducks (2016)

On January 16, 2016, Perron was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. He quickly started scoring for the Ducks, getting 14 points in his first 15 games. He was playing very well until he suffered a shoulder injury in March. He missed several weeks but returned for the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In the playoffs, Perron played alongside Ryan Getzlaf. He scored his first playoff goal in Game 5 against the Nashville Predators. After the Ducks lost in Game 7, Perron became a free agent.

Second Time with the St. Louis Blues (2016-2017)

On July 1, 2016, Perron signed a two-year contract to return to the Blues. The team's general manager, Doug Armstrong, said Perron was a "much more mature player." Perron had also considered playing for the Montreal Canadiens, which was a dream of his.

Perron started the 2016–17 season with the Blues. After a slow start, he scored his third career hat trick on October 23. He played on the Blues' second line for most of the season. The team made it to the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. They beat the Minnesota Wild but lost to the Nashville Predators. Perron sometimes sat out games during the playoffs due to taking too many penalties.

Vegas Golden Knights (2017-2018)

Perron with the Golden Knights during their first season.

On June 21, 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights picked Perron in the 2017 NHL expansion draft. Experts praised this choice, saying Perron was a player who could score goals.

Perron played for the Golden Knights in their first-ever season, 2017–18. He had a career-high 66 points in 70 games. The Golden Knights had an amazing first season, making it to the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. Perron said that every player on the team had something to prove.

The Golden Knights made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. They were only the third expansion team in league history to do so in their first season. They played against the Washington Capitals but lost the series in five games. After this successful season, Perron chose to return to St. Louis for a third time. He called his time with the Golden Knights the "best year of his life."

Third Time with the St. Louis Blues (2018-2022)

Perron returned to the St. Louis Blues for his third time. The coach, Mike Yeo, said Perron was a good NHL player who made the team stronger. At the start of the season, Perron scored his fourth career hat trick. He suffered an injury in January 2019 but returned in March. He helped the Blues make it to the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. They beat the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, and San Jose Sharks to reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals.

Perron during the 2019 Stanley Cup parade

In the Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, Perron scored the winning goal in Game 5. The Blues went on to win the series in seven games, winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in their history! Perron brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown of Sherbrooke to celebrate.

During the 2019–20 season, Perron scored his fifth career hat trick. He was so good that fans voted him into the 2020 National Hockey League All-Star Game. He competed in the NHL Shooting Stars challenge. The league paused play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, Perron was one of the top scorers for the Blues.

On May 3, 2021, Perron reached several milestones in one game. He played his 900th NHL game, his 600th game as a St. Louis Blue, and recorded his 600th career point.

Detroit Red Wings (2022-2024)

On July 13, 2022, Perron signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. This was the first time he signed an NHL contract with a team other than the Blues.

Ottawa Senators (2024-Present)

On July 1, 2024, Perron signed a two-year contract with the Ottawa Senators as a free agent.

Personal Life

David Perron is married to Vanessa Vandal, who is an interior designer. They have four children and two dogs, Jack and Stella, and a cat named Alice. The family lives in Chesterfield, Missouri. In the off-season, Perron enjoys spending time on his boat at the lake.

Perron is also involved in charity work. In 2016, he started the David Perron Attitude Hockey Foundation. This foundation holds a hockey tournament to provide role models for young hockey players. He also supports the Athletes for Animals Foundation.

Career Statistics

Awards and Honours