Will an NHL Team Give Corey Perry Another Chance After Contract Termination?
Corey Perry can join another NHL team this season after his contract termination in November. What's next for him to prove and for any teams that may be interested in him?
The saga of veteran NHL player Corey Perry took another turn this week.
It was reported he’d met with league commissioner Gary Bettman and was eligible to be signed to a new contract with a different team than the Chicago Blackhawks, who terminated his contract at the end of November. The Blackhawks stated at the time Perry engaged in conduct that is unacceptable and in violation of internal policies related to professional and safe work environments and the terms of his contract.
The 38-year-old forward released a statement in November about the situation that led to his contract termination and his steps forward, including addressing his struggles with alcohol. And like most players, Perry likely wants to continue playing. While he may not have his pick of teams, Perry also isn’t receiving zero interest from organizations.
Whether that means Stanley Cup contenders such as Toronto and Edmonton are in the running for Perry remains to be seen, although TSN's Carlo Colaiacovo suggested there is mutual interest with the Maple Leafs. Perry has the “snot” and gravel to his game that Cup front-runners want in a low-paid veteran, and while it may not make sense for certain franchises to take a gamble on Perry, we can see a few teams deciding they can take that chance. ESPN's Emily Kaplan even reported several teams are exploring signing him, although at least one team is doing major due diligence.
In 16 games with Chicago this season before his contract was terminated, Perry posted four goals and nine points while averaging 14:39 of ice time per game, which would've been on pace for about 40 points in a full season. He won’t get near that amount playing in third- or fourth-line minutes on a good team, but Perry can chip in some secondary offense, and he’ll almost assuredly sign a new contract that is at or near the league-minimum salary. He’s not here to break the bank; rather, he’s got to show he’s playing for the love of the game.
Make no mistake – there is a possibility Perry could be a bad experiment for a team to make. It’s been a long time since he was a needle-mover, but he still has a bit left in the tank, and teams that are searching for any advantage they can find are probably going to take a risk and offer him a contract for the rest of this season. After that, it’s entirely on Perry to demonstrate on and off the ice that he deserves the privilege of competing in hockey’s top league.
