EDMONTON – Every team has one.
An X-factor.
Not every team (the Edmonton Oilers notwithstanding) can have a Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Instead, they have a stable of good players with the odd excellent one to round out the roster.
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Even Wayne Gretzky needed help winning Stanley Cups in the 80s.
In addition to their current dynamic duo, the Oilers also boast the likes of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Darnell Nurse, Zach Hyman, and Evan Bouchard.
However, one player could be the difference in the Oilers' making it to the Stanley Cup Final (again).
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The (now) 40-year-old forward had a great regular season, netting 19 goals while playing bottom-six minutes for the majority of the year. Despite being past his prime, he’s found a way to stay in the game. And if Draisaitl had anything to do with it, Perry would play till he’s old and grey.
The one thing Perry does better than any other player on the Oilers roster is getting into the head of the opposition’s goaltender. This was on full display in the first two rounds of the playoffs with Darcy Keumper and Adin Hill.
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He’s going to have to continue to do that for the Oilers to win the ultimate prize. The potential goaltenders standing in the way of that dream are Jake Oettinger, Connor Hellebuyck, Frederik Andersen, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Joseph Woll.
Every single one of those netminders is capable of playing elite hockey at their position. It will take the likes of Perry to rattle their cage and never let them find their flow.
The Oilers aren’t planning on slowing down anytime soon, and with the help of Perry, they shouldn’t expect to.
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