Breaking: Edmonton Oilers re-sign veteran forward to a one-year contract.

admin | July 1, 2024 | Uncategorized | No Comments

Breaking: Edmonton Oilers re-sign veteran forward to a one-year contract.

The Edmonton Oilers have announced the re-signing of veteran forward Corey Perry to a one-year contract for $1.4 million.

Perry, a first-round choice of the Anaheim Ducks in 2003, has spent 19 seasons in the NHL with six different organizations. In 2023-24, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers, losing in the Stanley Cup Final for the fourth time in five seasons. Although some contentious off-ice antics restricted him to 54 games between the two clubs, he scored 22 points, three assists, and 12 penalty minutes in 19 playoff games.

Perry turned 39 last season, so his job on a club is very clear at this time. Given his age, he is best suited to the bottom six, but he can still provide a scoring punch for the Oilers. Even though he is no longer the prolific scorer he once was, he has scored at least 12 goals in each of the last three seasons. Third and fourth lines are sometimes viewed as places for grinding defensive forwards, but they must also provide attack on occasion, and Perry can absolutely contribute with that.

But he also fits the mold of a lower-line forward with his ability to be an irritant. He’s done it his whole career, having logged more than 100 penalty minutes in five different seasons. Those numbers have dipped slightly in recent years as he receives less ice time, but he averaged nearly a penalty minute per game this season.

He can use both his reputation and actual play to bother opponents and give his team both a physical and mental edge, something that Edmonton will look to take advantage of throughout the season.

Perry’s previous free-agency maneuvers have been those of a seasoned skater looking for his second Stanley Cup. He has played for five different clubs in the last five seasons and has reached the Stanley Cup Final four times, becoming the only player in NHL history to do so. He hasn’t won a championship since 2007, but he’s determined to keep trying.

Just one week ago, the Oilers were on the verge of winning their sixth championship. They clearly believe they are close to reaching the pinnacle and can accomplish so with many of the same players from last season, as well as a few supporting moves to boost the team. As Perry continues his quest to win the Cup again, he wants to be a part of the Oilers’ journey and feels they are the club that will get him there. Now they hope for a mutually beneficial relationship that will lead to a ring.