The Chicago Blackhawks pulled a shocker amid a busy second day of the 2023 NHL Draft on Thursday. The team acquired 38-year-old veteran forward Corey Perry from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2024 seventh-rounder before signing him to a one-year, $4 million deal on Friday.
This was a relatively bold move by general manager (GM) Kyle Davidson. Perry may be a respected veteran, but he was one of the biggest villains among Blackhawks’ fans during the team’s dynasty days. However, the team should benefit from his experience, especially having played under head coach Luke Richardson during his Montreal Canadiens’ tenure. Here’s more on Perry and what to expect.
Who Is Corey Perry?
A veteran of 1,257 career NHL games, Perry is perhaps best known from his Anaheim Ducks’ tenure from 2005-2019. The 28th-overall pick of the 2003 Draft, he made his debut in 2005-06 before posting 44 points over a full 82-game slate in 2006-07 while helping the franchise win its first Stanley Cup. Four seasons later (2010-11), Perry scored a career-high 50 goals for that year’s Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, in addition to tallying 98 points and winning the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
Since 2010-11, Perry has hit the 60-point mark just three times and the 80-point plateau once, back in 2013-14. He nonetheless remained a stalwart for Anaheim’s forward group until 2018-19, when he underwent surgery due to a torn meniscus and MCL. He skated in just 31 games that season before the Ducks bought out his contract, eventually joining the Dallas Stars on a one-year deal.
Perry had one of his most infamous career moments during the 2020 Winter Classic, doing the “walk of shame” after elbowing then-Nashville Predators’ defenseman Ryan Ellis and receiving a game misconduct penalty. While he later had an impressive postseason during the Stars’ 2020 Playoff run, it began a stretch of three straight Stanley Cup Final matchups in which he’d be on the losing end, including with the Canadiens (2021) and Lightning (2022).
Perry skated in 81 games for Tampa Bay this past season while recording 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists), primarily in a bottom-six, checking forward-type role. His 1,380 career penalty minutes (PIM) rank No. 1 among active players, but he also has a Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, two Olympic gold medals, and several other accolades on his resume.
It understandably may take fans time to warm up to Perry in a Blackhawks’ sweater. When the team signed Max Domi nearly a year ago, it also felt a little off-putting, but his personality and outspoken love for Chicago made him a fan favorite. Whether that happens with Perry remains to be seen, and it’ll be interesting to see what type of reception he gets during the home opener.
Blackhawks Could Benefit From Perry’s Experience
The Blackhawks are more than three months away from opening night on Oct. 10, but next year’s roster is quickly taking shape. Of course, Connor Bedard immediately makes them more watchable, but the veterans Davidson has assembled also make the team intriguing, including Perry.
Love him or hate him, Perry has continued bringing an element of compete to teams including the Stars, Canadiens, and Lightning. That has contributed to his longevity and staying power in the NHL even as he approaches his late 30s, which is pretty remarkable given his best days are behind him. To put it in perspective, Bedard was just two months old when Perry made his NHL debut in Oct. 2005.
As strange as this move may feel, Davidson deserves credit. Perry’s presence should provide an interesting contrast from the team’s other veterans such as Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno. What Perry may lack offensively compared to, say, Hall, he makes up with his experience and abrasive yet competitive style. He fits the hard-working, grind-it-out identity Richardson set last season, and the fact that the two already have a relationship should help.
Perry joins Tyler Johnson as one of just two Blackhawks with a Stanley Cup. While $4 million may be a hefty average annual value (AAV) for him at this stage in his career, it helps the Blackhawks get to the cap floor without having to fill too many roster spots and potentially take away playing time from younger players.
Perry’s Fit With the Blackhawks
It seems like a guarantee Perry will primarily skate in the Blackhawks’ bottom six. He could get top-six minutes if injuries occur, but it wouldn’t make much sense to place him there full-time with Hall, Bedard, Lukas Reichel, and other young forwards such as Taylor Raddysh, Philipp Kurashev, and Cole Guttman in the mix.
Something that’ll be interesting is whether Richardson reunites Perry with former Stars’ teammate Jason Dickinson on a line as the two played together in 2019-20. They could make for a productive fourth line, with Dickinson centering, Perry at right wing, and perhaps Foligno or a younger forward such as MacKenzie Entwistle or Boris Katchouk at left wing.
On a one-year deal, Perry could be a trade candidate come deadline day, much like Domi last season. While signing with the Blackhawks likely gives him a greater AAV compared to other clubs, he’d almost certainly love to chase another Stanley Cup. Davidson probably understands that, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him leave later in the season, even if the team retains part of his salary.
There’s no doubt Perry’s a controversial player, especially among Chicago fans. However, the league is a business, and the Blackhawks are no exception. Despite his reputation, adding Perry is a low-risk move by Davidson, giving the Blackhawks another well-established veteran.
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