David Perron went To the 299e and 300e goals in his storied 1,075-game National Hockey League (NHL) career in the Detroit Red Wings’ win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, and the reaction of his allies in the locker room is a testament to his usefulness.
In addition to the importance of these nets in the game, the fact that the Quebecer reached this prestigious mark reminded his teammate Shayne Gostisbehere and his head coach Ray Lalonde how important Perron’s arrival in Detroit was for the team.
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“He motivates us to the extent that he has such passion for winning,” Lalonde said at a press conference after the 4-1 win. “I don’t know if I was up against a more competitive player.” […] He’s someone we really needed.”
“He leads by example,” Gostisbehere admitted after the meeting. He’ll tell you if you’re not playing right. He’s a leader on and off the ice, and he’s truly the leader for us. Just his work ethic […] shows what kind of person and player he is.”
Perron, for his part, preferred to remember his club’s good performance rather than emphasize its performance that day.
“It was good to score those two goals and with the way we’ve been playing recently, it’s always good,” said the Quebecer in an interview from the dugout. By playing right, we develop winning habits and are rewarded for it.”
This season, the Sherbrooke native has seven goals and four assists for 11 points in 20 games. On July 13, 2022, he signed a two-season contract worth $4.75 million with the Michigan team.