Predators and Blackhawks first in line with interest in Corey Perry

Corey Perry is on the open market for the first time in his career, with the Predators and Blackhawks moving to the front of the line.

After 14 seasons, Corey Perry was bought out by the Anaheim Ducks. The 34-year old had little place on a team that wants to tilt younger, and the remaining years on Perry’s contract made some sort of move inevitable. But as an unrestricted free agent for the first time, Perry may not have to wait long to land on a new team.

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required), Perry and the Nashville Predators have mutual interest. The Chicago Blackhawks have also shown early interest in him.

Among playoff teams last season, the Predators had the third-fewest goals during the regular season (2.88 per game). Their power play was also dead last in the league (12.9 percent), as they tied for the second-fewest goals on the man-advantage (33).

Chicago doesn’t have any real problems offensively, as the eighth-best scoring team in the NHL last year (3.26 goals per game) and with a power play that was firmly in the middle of the pack (20.2 percent; 15th in the league). But they do have over $16 million in projected cap space, and there’s no such thing as too many offensive threats.

Perry played just 31 games for the Ducks last season after returning from a significant knee injury, scoring 10 points (six goals, four assists). He has now failed to score 20 goals in three straight seasons, but even as his decline started he totaled 66 assists during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

Perry has openly expressed his desire to win a second Stanley Cup in his career.

"This has definitely lit a fire in me,'”,“I want to win again. I’ve felt that feeling at every level and I want to feel it again. I watch teams win the Stanley Cup every year and I see how much emotion comes up when they win. It’s the hardest trophy to win and you need on-ice leadership and experience. I will get back to the player I used to be."

Perry owns the Ducks’ franchise records for games played (988), with 372 goals (103 power play goals) and 776 points in his career. It will be interesting to see how his market takes shape, but the Predators and Blackhawks are currently at the front of the line.