The Los Angeles Kings are getting Corey Perry back tomorrow against the New York Rangers after the veteran forward returned to practice on Monday morning and is currently being evaluated for his status ahead of tomorrow night's game.
After missing the last three games, which resulted in all losses for the Kings, including the last game against the Stars, the Kings could use the 40-year-old right winger, who has been great this season for them with 10 goals, 13 assists, and 23 points.
Corey Perry was reportedly on ice as practice got underway this morning and skated with the Kings' power play unit alongside Brandt Clarke, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, and Andrei Kuzmenko.
The Canadian winger also took rushes with Kempe and Alex Laferriere, indicating that the coaching staff is actively evaluating his play to see where he could slot back into the lineup for tomorrow's home game.
The veteran forward missed the Kings' last three games, including the Jan. 14 game against the Vegas Golden Knights and the back-to-back games against the Anaheim Ducks on the 16th and 17th. Perry hasn't played in a week since his last match against the Stars last Monday, where he finished with one point and an assist, resulting in a loss.
The Kings desperately need Perry, who is currently on a four-game losing streak and has lost six of their last seven games, clearly playing their worst stretch of the season. Not to say Perry will solve all of Los Angeles' problems, but could use the veterans play with no Anze Kopitar yet in the lineup.
In other news, with Perry eyeing his return to the lineup, the Kings are going to loan forward Andre Lee to the Ontario Reign. Lee played seven games amid injuries and players away from the team, scoring one goal, one assist, and two points.
Clearly not great numbers, but Lee had some strong moments on the ice and should continue to improve as he develops in Ontario.
There are also future implications for Anze Kopitar's status with the team, as he's missed the last 7 games for the Kings, and there is still no target date for his return. This means that if Kopitar is unable to play tomorrow against the Rangers, we may see Perry step into the top-six role to give Los Angeles a reliable veteran contributor amid Kopitar's injury.
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