An interesting side story to the Edmonton Oilers’ playoff run and trip to the Stanley Cup Final seemed to pop up out of nowhere over the past couple of weeks. It was about veteran Corey Perry and whether his son had spilled the beans regarding the forward’s future in the NHL.
During an interview, Perry’s seven-year-old son, Griffin, was in attendance and was asked about his dad’s life on the road and playing hockey, inquiring about how long he wanted his dad to remain in the NHL. The response was, ‘Mom says one more year,’ to which Perry chuckled. However, the media ran with the idea that maybe Griffin knew something everyone else didn’t, and that this season might be Corey Perry’s last.
Perry Shoots Down Retirement Rumors
Perry is set to play in the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in six seasons. He’s the only player on the Oilers roster to have a Cup win on his resume, so it would be understandable if, at 40, Perry was ready to hang ’em up. However, speaking with the media on Tuesday, Perry says he has never seriously considered retiring, and he doesn’t plan to do so this summer. He added that he intends to play a 21st NHL season in 2025-26.
There is probably some truth to what Griffin said, in that the family may have discussed Perry leaving the NHL and returning home after a long and storied career. There is little doubt that he’ll be a Hall of Fame candidate, and it would make sense if his wife would like to see him consider finishing his on-ice career. That said, Perry has had a remarkable season, and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
He may not be as fast as he once was. His skills are still there, as is his hockey IQ. He’s playing an instrumental role in the Oilers’ Cup run, and he should be able to secure a contract without much trouble next season.
Should the Oilers Re-Sign Perry?
Perry signed a $1.4 million deal with the Oilers this past offseason. It is one of the better value deals on the roster. With that in mind, there’s a very good chance Edmonton would be intrigued by the idea of keeping Perry around. Assuming he’s not planning to leverage a 19-goal season and another seven in the playoffs (to date) for an extra million or so, the Oilers should be open to a new extension.
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Meanwhile, Perry could look around, but is there any good reason to? He’s comfortable with the Oilers. Perry knows his role, his family has likely gotten situated, and the team is a contender. He talked about the importance of winning a Cup, and there are few places he’s more likely to have a chance to keep doing so as his career closes than with the Oilers.
And, depending on how comfortable his family is in Edmonton, no one should be surprised if the organization has a potential job for him in an off-ice role once he’s done playing. The Oilers have given work to Duncan Keith and Zack Kassian and Perry has an incredible amount of experience and knowledge he can probably share with future Oilers’ prospects.
Perry will easily be worth another one-year deal at around $1.5 million. Is he open to signing that kind of deal? Time will tell.