Another entry in this fine series. Today’s player profile sees us covering Corey Perry, a Stanley Cup winner with the Anaheim Ducks and an NHL veteran of over 1,300 career games.
Perry’s playing career
Perry got his start for the OHL’s London Knights where he won the J. Ross Robertson Cup and the Memorial Cup. Perry was an absolute monster for those Knights squads. He scored multiple 40-goal seasons to go with his 113- and 130-point campaigns. He also fought a lot and was a defensive hound.
He was the perfect all-around hockey player which is why the Ducks drafted him in the first round. After being selected 28th overall and the last few seasons in London, Perry only played 19 games in the AHL where he lit up the league for 34 points (16 goals). He was a machine. He was called up and played 56 games in the 2005–06 season scoring 13 goals and 25 points as a rookie. The Ducks would make it to the third round to lose to the… Edmonton Oilers! It wasn’t all doom and gloom though for Perry as he won the Cup the very next year.
Perry signed a four-year, $26.625M ($5.325M AAV) deal in 2008 and then an 8 x $8.625M deal in 2013. In 2019, Perry was bought out making him a free agent. He signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Stars and went to the Cup Final where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Perry then signed a one-year league minimum deal with the Montreal Canadiens and again lost to Tampa in the Cup Final.
Perry had enough of losing to Tampa as he signed a two-year deal worth $1M AAV with the Lightning. In 2022, Perry lost again in the Cup Final, this time to Colorado and in round one in 2023 versus the Leafs. After his rights were traded to Chicago and he signed a one-year deal at $4M AAV, Perry was placed on unconditional waivers for reasons still not explained. Perry then signed with the Oilers on January 22, 2024, for a one-year league minimum deal with bonuses attached. After reaching the Cup Final and losing to the Panthers, he stayed in Edmonton signing a one-year deal in free agency.
Perry’s international play
Perry has played at a ton of international tournaments. He made the U18 World Junior team in 2002, the U20 WJC team in 2005, participated in the Olympics in 2010 and 2014, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 and played at the World Championships in 2010, 2012, and 2016.
Perry’s career statistics
Perry won the Rocket Richard and the Hart trophy in 2010–11 where he had a 50-goal campaign and 98 points. His second-best season came in 2013–14, with 43 goals and 82 points.
| Season | Age | Tm | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | EV | PP | SH | GW | S% | ATOI | BLK | HIT | TK | GV | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 20 | MDA | 56 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 50 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13.3 | 11:34 | |||||
| 2006-07 | 21 | ANA | 82 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 12 | 55 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8.8 | 12:28 | |||||
| 2007-08 | 22 | ANA | 70 | 29 | 25 | 54 | 12 | 108 | 18 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 14.5 | 17:57 | 11 | 95 | 29 | 43 | |
| 2008-09 | 23 | ANA | 78 | 32 | 40 | 72 | 10 | 109 | 22 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 11.3 | 18:36 | 13 | 109 | 33 | 45 | AS-5 |
| 2009-10 | 24 | ANA | 82 | 27 | 49 | 76 | 0 | 111 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 10.0 | 21:04 | 34 | 93 | 38 | 54 | AS-8 |
| 2010-11 | 25 | ANA | 82 | 50 | 48 | 98 | 9 | 104 | 32 | 14 | 4 | 11 | 17.2 | 22:19 | 41 | 64 | 55 | 54 | AS-1,Hart-1,Richard-1,Selke-21 |
| 2011-12 | 26 | ANA | 80 | 37 | 23 | 60 | -7 | 127 | 22 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 13.4 | 21:23 | 45 | 65 | 34 | 48 | AS-12 |
| 2012-13 | 27 | ANA | 44 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 10 | 72 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11.7 | 19:04 | 18 | 49 | 18 | 21 | AS-13 |
| 2013-14 | 28 | ANA | 81 | 43 | 39 | 82 | 32 | 65 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 15.4 | 19:29 | 28 | 81 | 31 | 56 | AS-1,Hart-13 |
| 2014-15 | 29 | ANA | 67 | 33 | 22 | 55 | 13 | 67 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 17.1 | 18:06 | 27 | 64 | 25 | 46 | AS-9 |
| 2015-16 | 30 | ANA | 82 | 34 | 28 | 62 | 2 | 68 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 15.8 | 17:42 | 36 | 104 | 25 | 53 | AS-6 |
| 2016-17 | 31 | ANA | 82 | 19 | 34 | 53 | 2 | 76 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 8.8 | 17:43 | 35 | 81 | 32 | 38 | |
| 2017-18 | 32 | ANA | 71 | 17 | 32 | 49 | -4 | 71 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10.1 | 17:47 | 36 | 59 | 18 | 42 | |
| 2018-19 | 33 | ANA | 31 | 6 | 4 | 10 | -16 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10.2 | 14:49 | 14 | 21 | 12 | 11 | |
| 2019-20 | 34 | DAL | 57 | 5 | 16 | 21 | -2 | 70 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 13:43 | 33 | 60 | 17 | 26 | |
| 2020-21 | 35 | MTL | 49 | 9 | 12 | 21 | -4 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14.5 | 13:44 | 15 | 56 | 15 | 16 | |
| 2021-22 | 36 | TBL | 82 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 9 | 66 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 12.4 | 13:31 | 28 | 73 | 19 | 22 | |
| 2022-23 | 37 | TBL | 81 | 12 | 13 | 25 | -28 | 95 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 10.3 | 11:34 | 25 | 48 | 30 | 26 | |
| 2023-24 | 38 | CHI | 16 | 4 | 5 | 9 | -5 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15.4 | 14:39 | 8 | 15 | 6 | 8 | |
| 2023-24 | 38 | EDM | 38 | 8 | 5 | 13 | -1 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14.3 | 12:51 | 9 | 28 | 9 | 12 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/12/2024.
Perry’s player profile
Perry is known as “The Worm.” He loves to get under his opponents’ skin (as Oiler fans are well aware from his Anaheim days). While early in his career, Perry was defined as a sniper, nowadays he’s more or less a grinder in the league.
Perry’s strengths
Perry isn’t the fifty-goal scorer he once was, but he is still a really smart player who knows where to be at all times. There were a few instances where he was at the right place at the right time to tip or jam pucks past the goalies. His stick-checking is still solid and is a solid veteran presence.
Perry’s weaknesses
Perry is a super, super slow skater. It wasn’t that noticeable during the regular season but it was a major issue come playoff time. This is, of course, expected for someone who is 39 years of age.
Where does Perry fit into the Edmonton Oilers lineup
As we saw last season, Perry likely slots in as the 4RW to start the season with probably some scratches along the way as load management. He’s slated to start the year with Vasily Podkolzin, and one of Derek Ryan, James Hamblin or Noah Philp.
