From the Memorial Cup to the Stanley Cup to Olympic and World Championship gold, Corey Perry has won everything there is to win in hockey.
Now at 35, the former London Knight is set for a brand new challenge.
Less than a week away from the official opening of their training camp Perry has signed a one-year deal to play the 2021 National Hockey League season with the Montreal Canadiens.
The deal is worth $750,000.
No Canadian-based team has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal managed the feat back in 1993.
It has been a red and white Mount Everest ever since. The Habs will be hoping that Perry can be a 6-foot, 3-inch, 205 pound, bleu, blanc et rouge sherpa for this year’s run.
The Peterborough, Ont., native and London, Ont, resident reached the Stanley Cup summit in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks and came within two victories of winning it all with the Dallas Stars in September.
He willed the Stars to a Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in last year’s final scoring two goals, including the game-winner in double-overtime for a 3-2 Dallas win.
Perry had five goals and nine points in the playoffs for Dallas.
Since one of Canada’s seven clubs is guaranteed a spot in what will act as the Stanley Cup semi-finals in 2021, having a player who knows just how deep you have to dig when you get late into the post-season can be a major bonus. Especially when he has proven capable of doing the deep digging.
Whichever Canadian team happens to be standing in mid-June when that semi-final series gets started will need four more wins to become Canada’s first real shot at bringing the Cup home since the Vancouver Canucks went to Game 7 against the Boston Bruins in 2011. The Ottawa Senators got to the final in 2007, only to lose to Perry and the Ducks in five games.
Perry has played in 1,045 regular-season games in the NHL and 145 more in the playoffs. He has 98 career playoff points which currently has him tied with former Montreal great Steve Shutt.
If he can help the Canadiens to finish in the top-4 in this year’s Northern Division and then continue his regular contributions in the post-season, Perry can join another exclusive group.
Only 100 players in NHL history have ever recorded 100 career playoff points. Twenty-one of them spent all or at least some of their time in Montreal.
Perry will join two other former Knights in Josh Anderson and Victor Mete and Londoner Nick Suzuki on the Canadiens roster.
He will also have to choose a new number. Perry has worn 10 in Dallas and Anaheim. That number belonged to Guy Lafleur and currently hangs high in the rafters in Montreal.