Edmonton’s Corey Perry Gets Another Chance At Second Stanley Cup 17 Years After Winning His First

EDMONTON, Alberta — Corey Perry’s first Stanley Cup championship came in his second NHL season with the Anaheim Ducks. Seventeen years later, he is still seeking ring number 2. It’s not for lack of effort.

The veteran Edmonton forward is about to play in his fourth Cup final in five years, having previously failed to win with the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He is the only NHL player competing for five separate teams in the finals. Going 1-3 has spurred discussion about the “Perry Curse” online.

“I never had the opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup (again) until five years ago,” said Perry, 39. “So there was 12 or 13 years in between. You never know if you’ll get back there. You’re eliminated in the first, second, and third rounds every year. And you’re like, ‘Ugh, maybe next year.’ “And they just keep adding up.”

Corey Perry | AP News Image

Edmonton’s Corey Perry Gets Another Chance At Second Stanley Cup 17 Years After Winning His First

On Saturday night, the Oilers face the Panthers in the first game of this year’s final.

Perry spent 14 seasons in Anaheim, scoring 776 points in 988 games. He was a two-time first-team All-Star who won the Hart and Maurice Richard trophies after scoring 50 goals and 98 points in 2010-11. He is one of just a few players who have won a Cup, two Olympic gold medals, and a world title for Team Canada.

Perry is used to reaching the finals, but this is the first time he can enjoy being on a Canadian team at the sport’s top. Sure, he was with the Canadiens in 2021, when they rallied from a 3-1 deficit against Toronto in the first round before falling to Tampa Bay in the final. However, due to the pandemic, games were played in either empty or very empty arenas.

“When I was in Montreal, there was COVID… Perry told the Canadian Press, “I believe we had 3,000 or 4,000 fans in a venue like the Bell Centre.” “It’s not the same. When you have fans, it creates a distinct environment and animal.”

Corey Perry | AP News Image

Edmonton’s Corey Perry Gets Another Chance At Second Stanley Cup 17 Years After Winning His First

Perry has lost three Cup finals over the last half-decade but is not alone. Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, and Mattias Ekholm are among the Oilers who have failed to make the finals. They think that experience will propel them to success this time.

Henrique was a rookie when he reached his first final. He was a New Jersey Devils club member that fell to Los Angeles in 2012. At the time, he was unaware of how difficult it was to reach that far.

“You think we’ll just be in the playoffs next year and hopefully get back here and get another opportunity,” Henrique stated. “But that does not happen. A lot goes on behind the scenes, especially in contract situations. Every year, so much changes from one team to the next. “Being here and going for a run has been a lot of fun.”

Corey Perry | AP News Image

Edmonton’s Corey Perry Gets Another Chance At Second Stanley Cup 17 Years After Winning His First

Of course, the Panthers lost the 2023 championship to Vegas. This was not a tight series. The Golden Knights won in five games, three of which were blowouts. Will Florida be able to carry that experience forward?

“Experience is good,” said Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. “I’m not sure how much experience is good. You may ask the Buffalo Bills how valuable Super Bowl experience is.”

SOURCE – (AP)