How "The Worm" turns. After being cut by Chicago on Nov. 28 for violating team policies, then benched by Edmonton, Perry will skate for the championship with the Oilers.

He's not on the $4 million contract he signed with Chicago last summer, but terminated former Blackhawks forward Corey Perry is headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in his 19-year NHL career.

Perry, who played just 16 games with Chicago last fall, has been back in the lineup for Edmonton, which will square off against the Florida Panthers for the Cup starting June 8.

The Oilers hung on to edge Dallas 2-1 on Sunday night at Rogers Place and win their Western Conference Final 4 games to 2. Edmonton finished the series with three straight victories with Perry skating again after he was benched for five previous contests.

Perry wasn't productive through the Oilers' first 10 postseason games, posting no points and coming up as a minus-3. He was a healthy scratch starting in Game 6 of Edmonton's second round series against Vancouver. With Perry in the pressbox, the Oilers rallied from a 3-2 series deficit to win Games 6 and 7 and knock out the Canucks. 

Perry continued to sit through the first three games against Dallas. He returned as part of a lineup shake-up in Game 4 with the Oilers trailing 2 games to 1. He drove to the net to set up Edmonton's first goal, by Ryan McLeod, with 6:30 left in the first period after Dallas had jumped to a quick 2-0 lead. The Oilers came back to win 5-2.

Perry Lost Money, Gained The Postseason Chance

No one expected Perry to be in the playoffs this season after he was signed by the Blackhawks to mentor and lead youngsters including Connor Bedard.  But Chicago released the veteran winger on Nov. 28 after he violated team policies. The Blackhawks never specified what Perry did, but it's widely believed he offended one or more other team employees in an alcohol-fueled incident at an off-ice event.

In light of the Brad Aldrich sexual assault scandal, the Blackhawks are under pressure to adhere to a strict zero-tolerance policy for misbehavior by any employee.

Perry's release was announced at press conference by an emotional general manager Kyle Davidson on Nov. 28 before a game against Seattle at the United Center.

Later, Perry apologized in a statement and said he would seek help for alcohol abuse. Although not banned by the NHL, he also met with league commissioner Gary Bettman.

It was no secret that Oilers GM Ken Holland wanted to sign Perry. He did on Jan. 22, 2024. 

The one-year deal included a $775,000 base salary plus $325,000 in performance bonuses. Perry earned those by playing in at least 10 regular season games, then at least half of the Oilers 18 games in the first three rounds of the playoffs. Perry's skated in 13 of them.

In the past three games since returning to the lineup, Perry has one assist and has averaged just over 12 minutes of ice time and 14 shifts. He's a plus-1, with two shots on goal, four hits and three giveaways.

Perry won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2006-07, his second season in the NHL. The London, Ontario resident reached the finals on the losing side three times, with Dallas in 2020, Montréal in 2021 and Tampa Bay in 2022.