David Perron Returns to Detroit in Red Wings’ First Deal of the Season
The Ottawa Senators ship the veteran winger back to his former team in exchange for a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick, as Detroit looks to sharpen its five-on-five attack.
The Detroit Red Wings have made their first move of the 2025–26 season, and it comes in the form of a reunion. Veteran forward David Perron is heading back to Detroit after the Red Wings struck a deal with the Ottawa Senators, sending a conditional 2026 fourth-round draft pick in the other direction.
Perron previously wore the Winged Wheel from 2022 to 2024, earning a reputation as one of the most influential voices in the dressing room while providing consistent offensive production. He came close to helping the franchise end a lengthy playoff drought during that stint, and now, General Manager Steve Yzerman is counting on him to help push Detroit over the finish line once more.
Trade Breakdown
→Detroit receives: David Perron (RW, age 37)
→Ottawa receives: Conditional 2026 fourth-round pick (upgrades to a third-rounder if Detroit reaches the second round of the playoffs and Perron plays in at least 50% of first-round games)
Pick only conveys if Perron plays in at least one game before the end of the regular season or during the playoffs
What This Means for the Red Wings
Generating consistent offense at five-on-five has been a recurring challenge for Detroit this season, and Perron is precisely the kind of player who can address that gap. The 37-year-old excels at working below the goal line and in tight spaces around the crease, skills that should complement the existing forward group well.
Through 49 games with Ottawa this season, Perron accumulated 25 points, including 10 goals. That goal total currently ranks sixth among all Red Wings skaters, a figure that underscores the offensive dimension he adds to the roster.
Perron’s ability to control pucks along the boards and generate sustained offensive-zone pressure makes him a meaningful addition, regardless of where he slots into the lineup.
Perron has not appeared in a game since January 20, when a sports hernia required surgery. He is currently skating on his own, and his availability in the short term remains to be determined. That said, the low acquisition cost gives Detroit the flexibility to absorb some uncertainty around his return timeline.
His leadership value is just as relevant as his on-ice contributions. Perron wore an alternate captaincy letter during his first Red Wings tenure and is known for his vocal presence and emotional investment in the locker room. Those qualities can be difficult to quantify but are rarely overlooked by coaching staffs.
With the cost of the deal remaining minimal, the Red Wings retain cap space and draft capital to pursue additional upgrades before the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline on Friday. Reinforcing the right side of the blue line remains an area of interest.
What This Means for the Senators
Ottawa’s decision to part ways with Perron was triggered largely by the preceding day’s acquisition of Warren Foegele, which created a surplus of bottom-six forwards. With Perron set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and still working his way back from surgery, it made sense for the Senators to move on and recoup draft assets.
Perron had been a solid fit for Ottawa since signing ahead of the 2024–25 campaign. After navigating some personal family matters and an early-season injury that disrupted his first half, he found his footing on a second line alongside Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson, contributing to Ottawa’s first postseason appearance in eight years.
During the current season, Perron moved through various lineup spots before finding a particularly effective home on a fourth line with Nick Cousins and Lars Eller. That trio stood out for its relentless forecheck and its ability to limit scoring chances against. His January surgery brought that run to an abrupt end, and the Senators chose the trade deadline as the right moment to turn that situation into future value.
The conditional fourth-round pick, which can escalate to a third, adds to Ottawa’s already growing collection of late-round selections as the franchise continues to build depth for the future.
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