Los Angeles Kings Sign Corey Perry to 1-Year Contract

Perry was selected in the first round of the 2003 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks and has played for six teams in his 20-year career. He spent the last two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers. In 2024-25, he appeared in 81 regular-season games, posting 30 points, and also had 14 points in 22 playoff games before losing his second straight Stanley Cup Final and the fifth time in six seasons.

Perry Continues to Contribute as He Gets Older

At 40 years old, Perry might not be the player who won the 2011 Hart and Richard Trophies anymore, but he still provides solid value. After a difficult 2023-24 campaign split between two teams, he rebounded extremely well this past season. Spending time on many different lines, he finished just short of his ninth career 20-goal season. He was a part of the lineup just about every night and achieved the rare feat of improving statistically despite being well past his prime.

Despite a strong regular season, Perry saved his biggest impact for the playoffs. He received first-line minutes for much of Edmonton’s run and caught fire, scoring 10 goals and coming up clutch on several occasions. His performance was a dramatic shift from last year’s postseason, when he wasn’t even in the lineup every game, and left the hockey world marvelling at his ability to seemingly age in reverse. Now, the Kings hope that this season will be a continuation of this renewed energy.

Kings Add Veteran Who Wants to Win

Perry has evolved into a player who commands respect, setting the tone with his play and as a vocal leader in the locker room. He can offer that for the Kings, and as most of his recent career decisions suggest, he is determined to win another Stanley Cup.

Los Angeles is desperate to take a leap, having lost in the First Round to the Oilers in four straight playoffs — the last two against Perry himself. Even though they improved their Pacific Division standing from third to second last season, they still couldn’t turn that into playoff success.

The Kings have built up a strong roster, but haven’t had that breakthrough to a longer run, which has led to various changes to the coaching staff and now the front office. Perry’s recent track record is a constant stream of playoff success, even though he’s fallen just short of his second career championship so many times. His passion for the game and on-ice contributions have helped numerous teams win conference championships, and now the Kings want him to do the same for them.