According to sources, and a story first broken by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Edmonton Oilers are finalizing a deal to sign UFA forward Corey Perry. This news has not been confirmed by the team, but the report suggests an announcement could be coming soon. Frank Seravalli writes, “Decision coming soon for Corey Perry, but nothing done yet between Perry and #Oilers. Certainly trending.” He adds, “It’s been an exhaustive process – both in due diligence and fit – involving suitors like #FlaPanthers, #NYR, #GoBolts, and others.
Seravalli adds, “If it is Edmonton, and it looks like it is, you could see him in their lineup as soon as this week. Perry has been skating and training and can play his way back into game shape.”
The Edmonton Oilers found themselves on the radar for veteran forward after it was learned the NHL had given Perry the go-ahead to sign on with a new team. Perry, who recently played for the Chicago Blackhawks, was reportedly drawing interest from a handful of teams, with the Oilers among the top contenders. Frank Seravalli recently noted that about 5-7 teams are probably looking at Perry and it makes sense that the Oilers are among them.
The Oilers, winners of 13 straight games, are looking for depth in their bottom six, along with Stanley Cup experience. Perry fits the bill, and he offers an edge to his game that is important for playoff hockey.
Oilers Had to Do Their Due Diligence on Perry First
The delay in signing the player was likely getting an understanding of what happened in Chicago that forced the team to terminate his contract and just how serious the issue actually was. If the Oilers are signing him, they must have determined it was something they could live with.
Edmonton is a team known for giving second chances. They signed Evander Kane after his dramatic relationship with the San Jose Sharks came to an end, and it turned out he was the perfect addition for that group.
It is not clear what the contract looks like between Perry and the Oilers. The expectation is that it will be around league minimum. As per CapFriendly, “Even if the club were to sign Perry to a league min deal prorated to tomorrow, it would still require that Edmonton make a corresponding move to create the space needed.”
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