It has been a disappointing season for the Ottawa Senators in 2025-26. After making it to the playoffs last year, for the first time since 2016-17, the team was hoping to build on that. Instead, they are tied for last in the Atlantic Division, have had to deal with off-ice rumors surrounding Linus Ullmark, and now are dealing with some brutal injury news.
David Perron is out for the next five to seven weeks with a sports hernia injury that will require surgery, according to Julian McKenzie of The Athletic.
Head coach Travis Green says that this is an injury that has been nagging him for some time. The time frame for a return to play for the Ottawa forward is after the Olympic break, but likely before the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.
Perron will then miss the nine games before the break, which includes contests against the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.
The Quebec native has been off to a solid start this season, playing in all 49 games, finding the back of the net 10 times, and adding 15 assists. This is his second season in Ottawa, and he also missed time in 2024-25.
Last year, he missed 11 games due to a family situation, and then he would injure his back and miss another 27 games. Missing time is not an abnormality for the forward. Since entering the NHL in 2007-08 with the St. Louis Blues, he has played 78 or fewer games in 15 of his 19 campaigns.
Regardless, the Senators were expecting some regularity from the now 37-year old. In his two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings before signing with the Senators, he played in 158 of 164 games, amassing 103 points. So far with the Sens, he has played 93 of 131 games with just 41 points.
The club is still within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Senators are 23-19-7 on the campaign, placing them five points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild card berth in the East. They will look to pick up their 24th win of the season, without Perron, on Thursday as the Sens visit the Nashville Predators.
