Red Wings love “pain to play against” David Perron

Detroit Red Wings veteran forward David Perron, who is playing in the second year of the two-season contract that he inked with Detroit in 2022, was at one point considered potential candidate to be dealt by GM Steve Yzerman. However, with the Red Wings currently in the midst of a playoff chase, those chances were effectively lowered. 

Perron has proven himself to be a valuable asset for the Red Wings, not only chipping in offensively but also providing leadership and serving as a mentor to younger players with his championship experience. This season, he has 12 goals and 19 assists in 55 games that included tallying his 300th career goal in November. 

And the presence of Perron isn't lost on his teammates.

“He’s definitely one of those guys you love having on your team,” said Robby Fabbri.

“He’s a pain to play against," said Jeff Petry, a first-year teammate of Perron. “He’s feisty, he’s strong on the puck, he’s never going to give up on a play. If you strip the puck from him, he’s right back at it. That’s a skillset that makes him hard to play against, but also that teams are always looking for." 

For Patrick Kane, who faced Perron plenty of times during his days with the Chicago Blackhawks and their rivalry with the St. Louis Blues, he knows how tough playing against him can be. 

“Tough to play against,” said Kane, “because he keeps possession and protects the puck. Also one of those guys that’s not afraid to chirp and talk to the other team and get into that stuff as well.”

“I’ve kind of experienced that in training camp and there was definitely a point where I was like, ‘Fu*k this guy,’” said defenseman Jake Walman, another former Blues player. “But that’s just him: he’s competitive and he talks a lot, and that’s probably the thing that gets under peoples’ skin. You gotta respect somebody that competes and wants to win.”

Perron has no doubt been a valuable asset for the Red Wings, and has even been rumored to be potentially on the verge of a contract extension to keep him in the Motor City beyond this season.

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