Chicago Blackhawks Acquire, Extend Corey Perry
06/30/23, 9:30 AM: Chicago has now officially announced that they’ve signed Perry to a one-year, $4MM deal.
06/30/23, 7:30 AM: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Blackhawks have reached an agreement on a one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun confirmed that the deal is a one-year, $4MM pact, an identical deal to what Nick Foligno received from Chicago just a few days ago.
While $4MM is likely quite a bit more than what most teams would bid on Perry’s services, the Blackhawks aren’t in a similar financial position to most teams. With Perry signed to this deal they’re still projected to have over $20MM in cap space by CapFriendly, meaning they’re in a perfect position to pay veteran players high sums of money in order to convince them to play for a team barely anyone expects to make the playoffs.
More than anything else, this type of cap space allows the Blackhawks to pay higher prices for free agents in order to secure them on one-year deals, thereby saving their financial flexibility in future years where the team might have plan on making a playoff run.
06/29/23: The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired the rights to pending UFA forward Corey Perry from the Tampa Bay Lightning, sending a 2024 seventh-round pick in return.
This deal seems to fit the Blackhawks’ recent strategy of targeting respected veterans to support their growing crop of impressive prospects. Perry, 38, is a veteran of nearly 1,300 NHL games and numerous long playoff runs. While his skating ability has largely evaporated, he still has soft hands and some offensive skill, along with the edge he plays with that has become his trademark. He can still provide some value as a net-front player on a power play, and just a year ago he scored 19 goals and 40 points.
Even if Chicago gets production more in line with what Perry did this past season (12 goals, 25 points) that’s still a decent player to have on any team. The Blackhawks still need to sign Perry, of course, and Perry could always prefer to sign with a contender.
But the Blackhawks have a stockpile of cap space and the ability to offer Perry a deal he can’t refuse, meaning he’s likely to end up in Chicago, one would assume. For Tampa Bay, getting a pick (even a very late one) for a player they were not planning on extending is impossible to argue with.
Corey Perry Plans To Continue Playing After This Season
Speaking with a beat writer of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Chris Krenn, this morning, veteran forward Corey Perry states that he aims at playing next season, which would be his 19th season in the NHL. When asked about his immediate future, Perry said, “I’ve still got more in me. I still want to play. We’ll see where it goes over the next few weeks and then take it from there.”
In 2003, Perry was originally selected by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at 28th overall and would go on to be one of 17 players from the first round to go on to make an appearance in at least one NHL All-Star Game. In his draft season, Perry played in the OHL for the historic London Knights team, scoring 25 goals and 53 assists in 67 games. Not joining the Mighty Ducks until the 2005-06 season, Perry finished his CHL career with 253 games played, scoring 140 goals and 240 assists.
As the Mighty Ducks officially transitioned into the Anaheim Ducks during the 2006-07 season, Perry helped considerably in the Ducks’ path to the Stanley Cup Final. In 21 games played in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs, Perry scored six goals and nine assists as the Ducks won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
A few years later, Perry would become one of the best players in the NHL, scoring 50 goals and 48 assists in the 2010-11 season, winning both the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Maurice Richard Trophy. Because of his offensive explosion, the Ducks would reward Perry with an 8-year, $69 million contract extension through the 2020-21 season.
Unfortunately for both him and the Ducks, Perry would only play six out of eight years of that contract, as he was bought out at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. Throughout the next several years, Perry would play on one-year contracts, playing for the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens in 2020 and 2021, respectively, helping both teams to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Having lost the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Perry decided to join Tampa Bay, signing a 2-year, $2 million contract before the 2021-22 season. In potentially his last season for the Lightning, Perry scored 13 goals and 15 assists but also held a rating of -28 while on the ice.
As Perry has already entered the twilight years of his career, he can still provide a bit of depth scoring for any team across the league. Being in the hunt for the Stanley Cup for seemingly the last four seasons, Perry will likely look to join a team that is firmly on the cusp of raising the trophy at the end of the season.
Flyers’ Tony DeAngelo To Have Hearing For Spearing Corey Perry
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo will have a hearing today for spearing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Corey Perry during Tuesday’s game between the two teams, according to the NHL Player Safety Twitter account.
DeAngelo was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct following the incident, in which DeAngelo skated toward Perry after the puck was frozen by Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, and drove his stick into Perry, according to TSN.
“I was trying to give him a little shot. I wasn’t looking for it to go there,” DeAngelo told reporters. “He tried to slash my stick out of my hands the second beforehand. He talks all game. So, asked him to fight. Doesn’t want to fight. He’ll tell you that he’s asked me to fight for years. I don’t say no. So there’s not much of an argument there.”
DeAngelo is no stranger to controversy, as he has is on his third team in three seasons. He has provided strong play for the lowly Flyers, with 10 goals and 24 assists in 59 games. He is in the first season of a two-year contract with an AAV of $5MM.
Spearing is a penalty that can result in disciplinary action, and DeAngelo’s status for upcoming games will be known following the hearing.
Four Players Avoid Suspension, Earn Fines
The first night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a wild one, with penalties, fights, and dangerous plays happening all across the league. Kyle Clifford will have a hearing later today for his transgression, but four other players have avoided suspensions entirely. Jared Spurgeon, Wayne Simmonds, Pat Maroon, and Corey Perry have all earned fines for their respective incidents, with the Minnesota Wild captain’s punishment especially notable, given his importance to his team.
Simmonds, Maroon, and Perry were all involved in the same incident, a scrum and subsequent fights that occurred when the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning was already decided on the scoreboard. All three earned misconducts, and have now been fined for unsportsmanlike conduct. Simmonds and Maroon will both be required to pay $2,250, while Perry faces a $2,500 fine. All three are the maximum allowable under the CBA and are based on their respective salaries.
Spurgeon meanwhile appeared much more in danger of a suspension, given how his incident was perceived. He has been fined $5,000–again the maximum allowable under the CBA–for his cross-check on the ankle of St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich. The on-ice officials handed out a two-minute minor penalty late in the third period for the play, which was an obvious outburst of frustration as the Wild lost 4-0.
Given how important he is for the Wild, a fine is the absolute best outcome the team could have hoped for. He will, however, be under increased scrutiny for the rest of the playoffs.
Corey Perry Signs With Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have bolstered their depth, signing veteran forward Corey Perry to a two-year contract. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the signing. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the contract carries an average annual value of $1MM.
The old adage of “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” stands strong here. Perry joins the Lightning after losing to the team in two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals (with Dallas in 2020, Montreal in 2021). Now 36 years old, the former Rocket Richard winner and league MVP has seen somewhat of a career renaissance after a messy end to his time with the Anaheim Ducks. After being bought out at the end of the 2018-19 season due to a combination of injuries and declining play, Perry’s scored 14 goals and 42 points in 106 games over the past two seasons. He’s kept up that same rate of production in the playoffs – nine goals and 19 points in a whopping 49 playoff contests since leaving Anaheim.
Perry is still a reliable bottom-six talent, and he’ll add to what should be a rotating cast of bottom-six wingers for the Lightning. After losing their entire checking line of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, and Barclay Goodrow due to salary cap restraints, the team’s bottom six will take on a fresh look next season. They’ve already added one veteran presence, signing Pierre-Edouard Bellemare yesterday. Bellemare and Perry will provide competition for a cast of young Tampa forwards that include Ross Colton, Alex Barre-Boulet, Mathieu Joseph, and Mitchell Stephens. When three-time Stanley Cup champion Pat Maroon is added to that list, it quickly becomes apparent that there’s no guarantee Perry plays every night for the Lightning. However, a healthy and well-rested Perry is still an important piece of a three-peat puzzle for Tampa, especially come playoff time.
Corey Perry Not Considering Retirement
After two straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances, Corey Perry isn’t ready to hang up his skates. The veteran forward explained at his end-of-year press availability that he has no intentions of retiring. He didn’t stop there though, explaining that he would love to return to the Montreal Canadiens if possible.
Yes I intend to play hockey next year. I think there is still a lot of good hockey left in me. I would love to come back here and experience Montreal for being Montreal. It was a weird year with family not being here and all that. But definitely, to people out there looking at Montreal as a spot to land and come play, it’s been everything that you could imagine. It’s a first class organization and everything they do here is done with a purpose. I really enjoyed my time.
Perry, 36, settled for close to a league-minimum contract with the Canadiens this season, earning just $750K with no performance bonuses. That was of course in addition to the $2MM he earned from an Anaheim Ducks buyout, something he’ll collect again next season and the year after that. While many wrote him off, Perry seemed rejuvenated by the young core in Montreal, scoring 21 points in 49 games during the regular season and becoming a force for the team in the playoffs.
If he wants to return to Montreal, it seems like an easy contract to work out for the Canadiens, who should still have a spot for him in the bottom-six. It’s not like he’ll be demanding a huge raise at this point in his career and given that Joel Armia, Phillip Danault, Eric Staal, and Tomas Tatar are all pending unrestricted free agents, there will be roster spots to fill.
Still, perhaps there will be other teams that come calling on Perry if he makes it to free agency next month. Those clubs that can’t seem to get over the playoff hump could potentially still see the 2007 Stanley Cup champion as a difference-maker in the postseason. Perry does have 167 career playoff games, where he has scored 108 points including ten game-winning goals.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Free Agent Focus: Montreal Canadiens
Free agency is now just under a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Montreal Canadiens come bitterly into the offseason after a Stanley Cup Final loss, but a large amount of unrestricted free agents mean it’s a pivotal time for the franchise.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Artturi Lehkonen – An up-and-down season ended strongly for the first Finnish Canadiens RFA. While in part due to the shortened season, Lehkonen had his worst offensive season to date, failing to post either 10 goals or 20 points for the first time in his five-year NHL career. He didn’t fare too well under either Claude Julien or Dominique Ducharme, at least in the regular season. It resulted in the lowest usage of his career, being played just 13:25 minutes per game. However, when the opportunity arose during their playoff run, Lehkonen rose to the challenge. Taking the left-wing spot with Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, Lehkonen helped formed a line that shut down opponents’ top players for the majority of the playoffs. He added an overtime series winner to boot, as one of his three playoff goals sent Montreal to the Stanley Cup Final. Yet the reality stands that Lehkonen was inconsistent at best overall this season, and his next deal will likely reflect that. A shorter-term deal should be expected for a depth player like Lehkonen.
F Jesperi Kotkaniemi – It’s hard to know what to make of Montreal’s 2018 top draft pick at this stage in his career. Coming off of his entry-level deal, Kotkaniemi has broken expectations during each of his playoffs runs, totaling nine goals and 12 points in 29 games. Yet Kotkaniemi didn’t even score that amount in a full 56-game campaign this year, potting only five goals. While the young Finnish center has oozed potential during Montreal’s playoff appearances, he hasn’t been able to perform at the same level over the course of his regular seasons. With all that being said, it’s extremely unlikely that general manager Marc Bergevin commits to Kotkaniemi long-term this offseason. At just 21 years old, Kotkaniemi still has four more seasons of RFA eligibility. It’s impossible to imagine that Montreal would give him a deal longer than that, instead allowing Kotkaniemi to live up to his potential over the course of a lower-stakes bridge deal.
Other RFAs: F Joseph Blandisi, F Michael Pezzetta, F Ryan Poehling, F Jacob Lucchini, D Otto Leskinen, D Cale Fleury, G Michael McNiven
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Phillip Danault – Danault had largely been regarded as one of the more underrated defensive centers in the NHL over the past few seasons. That’s no longer the case. Danault’s shot-suppressing expertise was on full display throughout the regular season and playoffs. And while his offense took a backseat in the playoffs with just one goal and four points in 22 contests, he’s scored 124 points in 205 games over his past three seasons. The offense will come back next season if history is any indicator. It’s why Danault is expected to get a significant raise on his $3.083MM cap hit. With Danault possibly receiving offers over $5MM and even $6MM on the open market, Montreal will have to shell out the cash to retain their Quebec-born top-six center.
F Tomas Tatar – Montreal’s usage of Tatar this season, especially in the playoffs, was puzzling to many. It was just last year where Tatar had emerged to lead the Habs in scoring with 61 points in just 68 games. While Tatar was limited to just 30 points in 50 games this year, his line with Danault and Gallagher had performed extremely well from a possession standpoint. Even through the beginning of their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tatar’s line had succeeded at silencing Toronto’s top talent. Yet Tatar soon found himself scratched for the rest of the playoff run, with Lehkonen taking his role on that line. It’s hard to expect that Montreal will want to retain Tatar at this point, especially with outside teams knowing what they can get out of him. Expect Tatar to be in a top-six role again next season — just not with Montreal.
Other UFAs: F Corey Perry, F Joel Armia, F Eric Staal, F Michael Frolik, F Jordan Weal, F Alex Belzile, D Jonathon Merrill, D Erik Gustafsson, D Gustav Olofsson, G Charlie Lindgren
Projected Cap Space
While Montreal sits with a respectable $14.7MM in cap space, the team has a lot of expiring talent. Retaining the expected pieces and building on this roster’s weaknesses will likely bring Bergevin and Montreal into a tricky dance with the salary cap yet again next season. And while no drastic moves are expected from this year’s Stanley Cup finalist, it might be challenging for Montreal to navigate the free-agent waters after they’ve re-signed key pieces. However, Montreal’s camaraderie and team strength were on full display this season. It’s the type of performance that incentivizes players to take pay cuts to play for a winner, something that may very well be a reality for Montreal this offseason.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.
Snapshots: Perry, Stephenson, Fantilli
Corey Perry was pretty close to not even being around for this Montreal Canadiens postseason run. The veteran forward’s agent Pat Morris told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he personally called three teams when Perry was placed on waivers at the beginning of the season, asking them not to put in a claim and let him stay with Montreal. Two of those teams apparently told Morris they would have if he hadn’t called, but decided to “respect his career” and leave him with the Canadiens.
Perry ended up clearing, giving the Canadiens flexibility to bounce him back and forth from taxi squad to active roster, saving cap space in the process. He ended up playing in 49 regular season games and became one of the team’s most important forwards, playing a huge role in the postseason. The 36-year-old has three goals and eight points in 15 playoff games, including the game-winner in game seven against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Chandler Stephenson is a game-time decision for the Vegas Golden Knights tonight against Perry and the Canadiens. The 27-year-old has developed into a top-line center with the Golden Knights this season, scoring 35 points in 51 regular season games, usually skating between Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. Though he has failed to score a goal in 14 playoff games so far, he does have six points and has been excellent in the faceoff circle. Stephenson of course won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 (defeating the Golden Knights) and would be a welcome addition to the lineup for this evening’s match.
- Though there had been some speculation that Adam Fantilli could leave the USHL next season, the top prospect will be back with the Chicago Steel for 2021-22 according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic. The 16-year-old is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2023 but is already turning heads after a 36-point campaign with Chicago this season. His eight goals in the playoffs were enough to Clark Cup MVP, helping the Steel secure the trophy for the second time. Fantilli, who is from Nobleton, Ontario, was actually drafted 18th overall by the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL in 2020 but would not be eligible for the NCAA if he decided to play in the CHL.
Toronto’s John Tavares Stretchered Off Ice In Game One
May 21: Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet after the game that Tavares is “conscious and communicating well” but will spend the night in hospital for further testing. An update came from the team in the morning when the veteran forward was discharged from hospital:
Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been discharged from the hospital this morning. He was thoroughly examined and assessed by the neursurgical team at St. Michael’s Hospital and the club’s medical director. He was kept overnight for observation and is now resting at home under the care and supervision of team physicians. Tavares will be out indefinitely.
May 20: The long-awaited postseason reunion of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens got off to a start that no one hoped to see. Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was forced from Game One on Thursday night just over ten minutes into the game following a serious head injury. Tavares required the use of a stretcher to leave the ice. He has been taken to a local hospital. There has been no further update as to his condition.
Tavares’ injury, while horrific, was completely unintentional. The Leafs star was checked by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot while in transition. Montreal’s Corey Perry, following the play at full speed, skated by Tavares just as he fell to the ice. Perry’s knee struck Tavares directly in the head, launching the Hab into the air and knocking the Leaf to the ice. Toronto’s medical staff attempted to help Tavares from his prone position up to his knees, but he could not maintain his balance and fell back to the ice in a scary display of the immediate aftermath of a violent collision. The decision was made to bring the stretcher out in order to get Tavares off the ice. The captain was able to signal with a thumbs up as he exited, but this will not eliminate the fear and concern surrounding his condition.
Tavares, 30, is unlikely to return to the ice any time soon for the Maple Leafs, if at all this postseason following what was obviously a major head injury. It is a huge loss for the team, both on the ice and in the locker room. Tavares played in all 56 games for the Leafs this season, recording 50 points along the way. The anchor of the Leafs’ second line and a key piece of the top power play unit, Tavares was third on the team in scoring and second in assists. He is also Toronto’s top face-off man, enjoying a second consecutive season with career-best success at the dot with a 55.3% FOW. Tavares, of course, is also a locker room presence and an important part of the Leafs’ leadership group. Toronto will have to regroup and refocus in order to make sure that they don’t let Tavares’ loss, no matter how shocking it was to watch, cost them their first-round series.
Everyone at PHR wishes Tavares and his family the best during this frightening time.
Nominees Announced For 2021 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given out annually to the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The award has been voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since 1968, and today they announced their nominees for 2021.
Past winners of the award include Bobby Ryan (2020), Robin Lehner (2019), Brian Boyle (2018), Craig Anderson (2017), Jaromir Jagr (2016), Devan Dubnyk (2015), Dominic Moore (2014), and Josh Harding (2013).
Below are the nominees from each team:
Anaheim Ducks – David Backes
Arizona Coyotes – Phil Kessel
Boston Bruins – Kevan Miller
Buffalo Sabres – Dustin Tokarski
Calgary Flames – Milan Lucic
Carolina Hurricanes – Jordan Staal
Chicago Blackhawks – Andrew Shaw
Colorado Avalanche – Valeri Nichushkin
Columbus Blue Jackets – Zac Dalpe
Dallas Stars – Roope Hintz
Detroit Red Wings – Danny DeKeyser
Edmonton Oilers – Mike Smith
Florida Panthers – Chris Driedger
Los Angeles Kings – Matt Roy
Minnesota Wild – Matt Dumba
Montreal Canadiens – Corey Perry
Nashville Predators – Pekka Rinne
New Jersey Devils – Scott Wedgewood
New York Islanders – Casey Cizikas
New York Rangers – Colin Blackwell
Ottawa Senators – Nick Paul
Philadelphia Flyers – Oskar Lindblom
Pittsburgh Penguins – Casey DeSmith
San Jose Sharks – Patrick Marleau
St. Louis Blues – Vladimir Tarasenko
Tampa Bay Lightning – Steven Stamkos
Toronto Maple Leafs – Jack Campbell
Vancouver Canucks – Tyler Motte
Vegas Golden Knights – Marc-Andre Fleury
Washington Capitals – Zdeno Chara
Winnipeg Jets – Eric Comrie
Three finalists and the winner will be named at a later date.