The Edmonton Oilers have signed free agent forward Corey Perry for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The deal will be a pro-rated salary with several performance bonuses included, and should become official on Monday.
Perry’s contract with the Chicago Blackhawks was terminated earlier this year for what the club deemed unacceptable conduct. The 38 year old had posted 4G, and 5A across 16 games with the Blackhawks at the time of his release, and will now join an Oilers team that’s in the midst of a 13 game winning streak.
The former Hart Trophy winner has amassed 892 points (421G, 471A) across 1,273 NHL contests, and has appeared in an additional 196 playoff games. A Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Ducks back in 2006-07, Perry will now join an Oilers squad with championship aspirations, but a track record of recent postseason disappointments.
Multiple clubs were reportedly interested in acquiring the veteran winger’s services, however Edmonton presented a unique opportunity to play alongside arguably the best player on the planet in Connor McDavid. An opportunity which proved too appealing to pass up for a player winding down his playing career such as Perry.
Ironically, the Oilers play host to the Blackhawks on Thursday, however it’s currently unclear how much time Perry will require to get back up to game speed.
Photo: Sarah Connors. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.