David Perron Hits 1,200 Games: A Milestone Years in the Making
It’s not every day you see a player skate in his 1,200th NHL game. It’s even rarer when that player shares the ice with the son of one of his first-ever teammates. But that’s exactly the full-circle moment David Perron is living tonight.
Back in 2007, Perron broke into the league with the St. Louis Blues, a wide-eyed rookie sharing a locker room with veteran Keith Tkachuk. Fast forward 18 years, and Perron is about to hit the 1,200-game mark while suiting up alongside Tkachuk’s son, Brady, with the Ottawa Senators.
And if that wasn’t poetic enough, he’s doing it just a couple hours from where it all began - in Montreal, near his hometown of Sherbrooke, Quebec.
“You don’t really think about it while it’s happening,” Perron said Tuesday morning. “You just keep playing, trying to stay alive in this league.
Then you look up one day and realize you’ve hit a milestone. Once you hit one, you start looking toward the next.”
This one, he admitted, feels a little sweeter. After battling through injuries last season, Perron had his eye on this number for a while.
A Career Built on Consistency and Grit
Drafted 26th overall in 2006, Perron wasn’t exactly a lock to make the NHL right away - but he did. And he’s been proving people wrong ever since. Now with his seventh NHL team, the 37-year-old continues to be a productive, respected presence.
“There’s not just one thing you can point to,” said head coach Travis Green. “He’s a veteran who’s seen it all.
Won a Cup in St. Louis.
He’s a voice in the room, still a really good player. You don’t play 1,200 games by accident.
That says a lot about who he is.”
Perron’s numbers back that up. He’s hit the 20-goal mark seven times and matched that with seven seasons of 30-plus assists. He’s not just hanging on - he’s still making plays.
One of his best this season? A slick setup earlier this month at Canadian Tire Centre.
With the Sens and Mammoth tied 1-1, Perron spotted Jordan Spence wide open and delivered a perfect pass for a one-timer. The goal was Spence’s first as a Senator, and Perron was just as fired up as the young defenseman.
“Me and D.P. made eye contact, and I knew it was coming,” Spence said. “It’s been unreal playing with him.
He’s had one heck of a career, and he brings so much energy. He’s always in a good mood, always talking with the boys.
It affects the whole team. I’m really happy for him.”
Game Night in Montreal: What to Watch
Linus Ullmark gets the nod in net as the Senators face the Canadiens for the second time this season. Ottawa dropped the first meeting 4-3 in overtime, and this will be their final trip to Montreal this year.
One player to keep an eye on? Drake Batherson. He’s scored in three straight games against the Habs - and with another tonight, he’d become just the fourth Senator ever to notch a four-game goal streak against Montreal.
Lineup Notes and Loose Ends
Travis Green is keeping his lineup cards close to the vest, saying he’ll finalize decisions after warmups. One move that is confirmed: Hayden Hodgson has been loaned to Belleville. Hodgson played eight games with the Sens, bringing energy and physicality with 21 hits.
Tonight also marks Ottawa’s first game of December. And if recent history is any indication, this month could be a good one. Since December 1, 2024, the Senators have quietly posted the third-best record in the Eastern Conference (.619), trailing only Tampa Bay and Washington over that stretch.
Jake Sanderson continues to impress on the blue line. He enters tonight riding a three-game point streak, with two goals and three assists in that span. He’s one of just six NHL defensemen this season to have 20 points while averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per night - a true workhorse anchoring the Sens’ back end.
How to Watch and Listen
- TV: TSN5 (English), RDS (French)
- Radio: TSN 1200 (English), 104.7 Outaouais (French)
As the puck drops tonight in Montreal, all eyes will be on No. 57.
David Perron’s journey hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been long, steady, and undeniably impressive. And tonight, it adds another chapter - one that began with Keith Tkachuk and continues with his son.
Hockey has a way of telling stories like that.