Corey Perry is returning to the Edmonton Oilers for one more season as the team has announced a new contract for the veteran winger.
In a similar fashion to his Oilers deal in the 2023–24 season, Perry’s contract for the upcoming year will be split with a lower salary and some performance bonuses thrown in.
The 39-year old joined the Oilers mid season after having his previous contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks early in the 2023–24 season. With the Oilers, he proceeded to score eight goals and 13 points in 38 games in the regular season. In the playoffs, he added one goal and three points in 19 games.
Of note, Perry’s impact on the ice in the playoffs was negligible at times and led to him being scratched for a handful of playoff games.
However, it appears his presence on the team and in the locker room is valuable regardless of his playing time and on-ice performance as the Oilers decided to give him one more chance to end one of the most difficult curses in hockey. Perry has lost in the Stanley Cup Final in four of the past five seasons.
Where will Corey Perry fit in the Oilers lineup?
As mentioned, Perry’s role on the ice was decreasing as the season went on. He averaged just shy of 13 minutes of ice time per game during the regular season, which dropped to 10:46 per game in the playoffs.
Perry will not be featured heavily on the ice and is likely to take a fourth line or healthy scratch spot with the occasional shift in a bigger role. It appears his impact and spot on the team is more along the lines of a veteran presence than on ice performer.
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