David Perron came back to the Detroit Red Wings with a bill of goods attached to his name.
Barely into his second tenure with the club, Perron is picking up right where he left off.
“I have liked his game for six periods,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “It’s nice to have him on our side.”
McLellan had heard the tales of the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which Perron provides leadership, both in the room and on the ice. Now he’s getting to witness those skills in person. And he likes what he’s been seeing.
“I’m pumped to have him. I think all the Wings fans should be super happy to have him.”
David Perron on returning to Detroit & his chat with Justin Faulk » https://t.co/ryhYAl0uaP pic.twitter.com/YjgSHqOxcZ
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 7, 2026
“I think that I was told that he’ll bring some energy and some noise,” McLellan said. “The noise and the energy have been very appropriate and direct. It’s needed.”
Leadership is a unique skill on a hockey team. It isn’t necessarily about fire-and-brimstone speeches as the movies might make you believe. Sometimes, it can be a simple gesture. Perhaps a pat on the back, or an encouraging word.
There’s a famous story about when Mark Messier captained the New York Rangers. A young player was getting a call-up from the minor leagues. The kid was fresh out of junior hockey and only owned one suit.
When the kid arrived for practice the next day, he found three designer suits hanging in his dressing room stall.
“Get those tailored,” Messier told him.
The message was simple. Welcome to the show. You’re one of us now.
Perron Showing Red Wings The Right Way To Play
The timing of Perron’s reemergence comes as Detroit is missing three veteran players through injury. As the team struggles to find its way through this difficult period, Perron is doing his utmost to serve as a beacon of hope.
“So far, he’s shown that he plays the game the right way,” McLellan said. “To win.
“There’s moments that he handles and expects his teammates to handle a certain way. So there’s a lot of positives in his game.”
Great to see David Perron return to Hockeytown as he chats with @TysonNasher during the first intermission ❤️ pic.twitter.com/262SIF0pcf
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) March 16, 2026
Perron is also giving the Red Wings significant minutes while coming back from a lengthy absence due to sports hernia surgery. Don’t think for a moment that factor isn’t resonating with his teammates.
“You know, again, he’s been out for six, seven weeks with a surgery that hasn’t allowed him to skate a lot,” McLellan said. “We’re asking a lot of him, and thus far he’s delivered.”