Detroit Red Wings
Ex-Red Wings Player Takes Leave of Absence From NHL Team

Former Detroit Red Wings player David Perron, a popular leader in his time in Detroit, is taking a leave of absence from his Ottawa Senators team to deal with a family matter.
A few weeks ago, Perron’s pregnant wife, Vanessa, revealed that their unborn daughter named Elizabeth has pulmonary airway malformation. She will need immediate surgery after she is born.
#GoSensGo fans: keep the Perron family in your thoughts and prayers. They should be giving birth to their beautiful baby any day now. However, she will most likely need to go through an open surgery at birth. Send them all the love and support. We are with you guys! pic.twitter.com/f5MHSWKqmD
— The Sens Sense (@TheSensSense) October 21, 2024
Perron’s leave of absence was granted before the team left on a three-game road trip that begins tonight with a game in Utah. The Senators then travel to Vegas and Colorado before coming home.
This is an indefinite leave of absence because there is no way of knowing when Perron, 36, might be able to rejoin the team.
The Red Wings were interested in bringing back Perron last summer, and he was interested in staying. Team captain Dylan Larkin viewed Perron as part of his leadership team. But the Red Wings and Perron could not agree on the terms of a new contract. The Senators gave him a two-year deal worth an average of $4 million per season.