Corey Perry isn’t going anywhere.
The Edmonton Oilers forward was drafted by Anaheim in 2003, made his NHL debut in 2005, and won his only Stanley Cup in 2007.
At 39 years old, and on the eve of Game 7 of this season’s final against the Florida Panthers, he was asked if Monday night could potentially be his swansong.
“Uh, no,” Perry replied after the last practice of the 2023-24 season Sunday. “I’ve got more in me. I’ve got lots more in me — five more years.
“What’s so funny? I feel like I’m 25.”
No longer the dominate player of his prime, the winger still provides value on and off the ice. He scored the winner in Game 5 as part of the Oilers’ pushback in the title series that has seen them dig out of a 3-0 hole to force the winner-take-all finale.
The Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP in 2011, Perry has put up 429 goals, 476 assists and 905 points in 1,311 games over 19 seasons. He’s added 127 points (54 goals, 73 assists) in 213 playoff appearances.
The Peterborough, Ont., product waited a long time to get back here. He then lost in the Cup final with Dallas in 2020, with Montreal in 2021, and with Tampa Bay in 2022.
The passion for the game remained. Perry’s future was, however, up in the air back in the fall.
Signed to be a mentor with the up-and-coming Chicago Blackhawks, the team cut ties in late November, saying he violated his standard player contract and team policies “intended to promote professional and safe work environments.” Neither Perry nor general manager Kyle Davidson was willing to provide any details about what led to the termination.
Perry apologized for his actions and said he’d begun seeking help for alcohol abuse. He asked for a meeting with Gary Bettman and spoke with the commissioner in January, then returned to the NHL less than two weeks later, signing with the Oilers for the rest of this season.
He hasn’t looked back.
“I’m going to keep playing until they cut my skates off,” Perry said in the visitors locker room at Amerant Bank Arena. “I want to continue to play. I love the game, I love being around the room.
“It’s just the camaraderie that you have and that bond you have with guys in this sport.”
You can listen to Game 7 on Monday night on 630 CHED, beginning with The Faceoff Show at 4 p.m. MT. The actual game starts at 6 p.m. MT.