The Edmonton Oilers agreed to terms Monday with Corey Perry on a contract for the remainder of the season, adding the veteran winger to the hottest team in the NHL nearly two months since the Chicago Blackhawks for unacceptable conduct.
Perry, 38, is getting a deal for a pro-rated league minimum $775,000 plus performance bonuses. He has already joined the team for practice, and general manager Ken Holland said the organization is aiming for Perry to make his debut Saturday against Nashville.
Neither revealed details of exactly what occurred to lead to the termination. He and the Players鈥� Association have until next week to decide whether to file a grievance to recoup some of the money.
Perry declined to answer when asked if he would file a grievance or to shed any more light on what happened with the Blackhawks. At a news conference with Holland, he thanked friends, family and counselors for their assistance over the past two months.
鈥淚 really had a chance to reflect and get the help and take full responsibility for what happened in Chicago and try to better myself,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淔rom where I was two months ago to where I am today, it鈥檚 been a world of difference 鈥� the help I鈥檝e gotten and from where I鈥檝e come from.鈥�
Perry apologized in late December and for alcohol abuse. He with commissioner Gary Bettman but was never prohibited by the league to sign with another club.
鈥淲hen everything happened and my contract was terminated, I didn鈥檛 know where things were going to go, so at first I took care of myself,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淭hat was at the front of it is take care of yourself, get yourself in a better position and move on from there.鈥�
Holland said he spoke with Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson about Perry, who also had a handful of other teams interested in signing him, and came away willing to sign him.
A Stanley Cup champion with Anaheim in 2007 and two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada in 2010 then 2014, Perry is in his 19th season. He reached the Cup Final three years in a row with three different teams from 2020-22.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e trying to make the team better,鈥� said Holland, who got to know Perry a bit at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. 鈥淲e鈥檙e adding a player that, in my opinion, plays playoff hockey: greasy, gritty, dirty, heavy on the puck down low.鈥�
The Oilers have won 13 games in a row, among teams based in Canada. They鈥檙e 23-6 since and replacing him with Kris Knoblauch, vaulting from near the bottom of the standings to third place in the Pacific Division and on track to make the playoffs.
鈥淲hen you have a 6-year-old kid and you have Connor McDavid on the team, you kind of follow the Edmonton Oilers,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淭his team鈥檚 going in the right direction and not just because they鈥檝e won 13 games in a row, but you can see where they鈥檙e going and their mindset and the vision they have that they want to win a Stanley Cup here.鈥�
Perry鈥檚 contract can be registered with the league on Tuesday when Adam Erne clears waivers or is claimed by another team because the Oilers did not have enough cap space Monday. This is the latest move they鈥檙e making to try to win the franchise鈥檚 first championship since 1990 but may not be the last before the March 8 trade deadline.
鈥淲e鈥檙e on a great run, but we鈥檙e going to lose some games here,鈥� Holland said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the National Hockey League and there鈥檚 40 games to go. Today I think we got our team better, deeper, bigger, stronger, more competitive.鈥�
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