Old-school forward gets contract with $4 million cap hit. Will provide veteran presence, mentorship and protection for Chicago's kids, including No. 1 draft pick Connor Bedard
The Blackhawks agreed to terms with forward Corey Perry on Friday for a one-year contract that runs through the 2023-24 season and carries a $4 million salary cap hit.
Chicago acquired the rights to the 38-year-old forward Thursday from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a seventh round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Perry dressed in 81 regular-season games with the Lightning during the 2022-23 season, recording 12 goals and 25 points. He added two goals and three assists in six playoff games against Toronto.
The numbers aren't the main reason why the Blackhawks signed Perry, who gets a nice salary bump for his 19th NHL season after finishing a two-year contract in Tampa Bay that had a $1 million annual cap hit.
Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson pursued Perry for his "mentorship and veteran presence" following a recommendation from coach Luke Richardson.
Richardson told Davidson that Perry helped young players in Montréal in 2020-21 when Richardson was a Canadiens assistant. The Chicago GM would like to "extract some of that benefit as well."
"(Perry) knows what it takes to win," Davidson said. "Knows how to be great professional and also has some history and background with our head coach. He really appreciated that and saw some great benefit in what Corey did."
The gritty Perry will not only teach, but potentially protect Bedard and other Blackhawks youngsters. Very much an old-school hockey player, Perry is a four-time All-Star and won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 2011 with Anaheim when he scored a career-high 50 goals.
Davidson established a pattern this week, acquiring veteran forwards Perry, Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno.
Generational talent Bedard, drafted No. 1 on Wednesday, is now in line as the foundation for an expedited rebuild. Other top prospects are waiting in the wings, perhaps a year or two from making the team and then making an impact.
Davidson said he has no aversion to adding veteran forwards — as long as they're on short-term contracts and not overpriced — to support the kids, while bridging to the future.
Adding Perry pushed the Blackhawks over the NHL salary cap floor for 2022-23, per CapFriendly. Chicago still has to sign Bedard to a an entry-level package of $4.45 millon and may add one or two other free agents.
In 1,257 career games with the Ducks, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Lightning, Perry has 417 goals and 883 points"
And the rangy, sometimes ornery, Peterborough, Ontario native will still mix it up on the ice.
"He's probably a guy you hate to play against and love to have on your team," Davidson said. "We hope that's the way it will play out."