NHL rumors: 5 teams who could have interest in Corey Perry
The Anaheim Ducks have agreed to a buyout with Corey Perry, and these five teams could have interest in the veteran winger.
After increasing buzz it would happen, on Wednesday morning the Anaheim Ducks announced they have bought out the contract of veteran winger Corey Perry.
Perry had two years left on his deal. According to Cap Friendly they will clear $6 million in cap space this year ($2.625 million cap hit now), with cap hits going forward of $6.625 million (2020-21), $2 million (2021-22) and $2 million (2022-23).
Perry and his 372 career goals are now on the market. But he played just 31 games this past season after major knee surgery, with only six goals and four assists. He has not scored 20 goals since the 2015-16 season. The 50-goal scorer from way back in 2010-11 is a distant memory, and even the 30-plus goal scorer four more times since then is not coming back. That said, he did have 49 points in 71 games during the 2017-18 season
Perry can bring value to the right situation. He offers veteran leadership, and some level of remaining power play prowess with four of his 10 points coming on the man advantage last season. And with a buyout in his pocket, signing Perry won’t require more than a one-year deal or a team won’t have to break the bank.
Perry will probably have to wait until bigger moves and signings are done before landing somewhere. But these five teams should have some interest in him.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
After winning the President’s Cup with the NHL’s best record, the Lightning fell flat and went down in the first round of the playoffs to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Defenseman Victor Hedman missed time in that series with an injury and a one-game suspension for Nikita Kucherov in Game 3 took things off the rails to a point of no return.
Tampa Bay is likely coming back virtually as is next season, with less than $5.9 million in cap space right now (via Cap Friendly) and only marginally more according to Spotrac ($6.876 million). A move to clear some cap space could be coming, though it’s hard to see clearly where that move is right now. Perry has also won a Stanley Cup, with the Ducks back in 2007.
Perry would surely like to be part of another potential Stanley Cup run somewhere next season. A one-year deal with the Lightning would provide that possibility, and he would come cheaply enough to fit into the team’s financial situation to go with some extra playoff credibility and experience (89 career postseason points in 118 games).