The Ottawa Senators have some news to announce on this Thursday afternoon. Veteran forward David Perron has a sports hernia injury, and will miss a bit of time. According to Sens head coach Travis Green, they are looking at a five-to-seven week timetable, and that Perron will require surgery. Let’s check out what this less than sensational news means.
Tough news for David Perron who’s become a very effective 4th liner of late for the #Sens.
His injury gives Stephen Halliday to show himself to be a full-time NHL regular.
I believe Halliday can be a really good player for Ottawa for years to come.
— Alex Adams (@alexadamsBTP_) January 22, 2026
Ottawa Senators Injury News on David Perron
The 37-year-old Perron is having a steady season for the Sens. In 49 games, he is up to 10 goals, 15 assists for 25 points. Since Perron came to Ottawa, he has been a well-respected figure in the dressing room. The younger players look to him for guidance. Moreover, his intelligence on the ice and propensity to add to the culture of positive habits has been appreciated by the whole organization.
His versatility has been obvious based on his ice-time distribution. Whether he plays a bottom-six role or up on a line with Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson, he has shown an ability to perform in all situations. That is why he is such a great asset for Green and company. The Sens will have to be calculated in how they replace his usage.
The Impact
Luckily for Ottawa, amid the David Perron injury, they do have many internal options. Plus, it is not like he is a superstar. So, a well-balanced Sen forward group should be able to absorb the loss without much significant impact.
This is a good chance to announce the other bid of news from today. That is, they recalled Stephen Halliday from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Moreover, he will provide a more than adequate figure to fill the void left by Perron. In just his second full season as a professional, Halliday is having a big year from a personal aspect. In 22 games for Belleville, he has two goals, 24 assists, for 26 total points. Then, during his previous stints with Ottawa this year, he has collected six assists in 18 games, with limited ice time. Along with guys like Ridly Greig, Nick Cousins, and Claude Giroux, the Sens should be able to shuffle around lines with minimum impact.
As we head into action tonight, Ottawa is in Nashville to take on the Predators. Linus Ullmark remains out for the team, as well. Other than that, they are relatively healthy. That is good, as the time is now to put a push on for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images