FEATURE: Blackhawks, Perry Excited for Forward to Mentor Next Generation

Over his 14-year NHL career, Corey Perry is well-known for his pesky antics on the ice that Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson described as a player people hate to play against. But it's a different case when he's on your team, with teammates raving about his impact on the roster -- a trait Davidson saw importance in with a young group of players ready to break into the NHL this season.

His experience under Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson with the Montreal Canadiens was another reason Chicago wanted to sign the veteran forward -- bringing a winning mentality and his ability to mentor younger players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

"Luke was with him in Montreal and saw how he worked with some of their young players," Davidson said. "He really appreciated that, saw great benefit in what Cory did and so we're going to try and extract some of that benefit as well."

After his lone season in Montreal during the 2020-21 campaign, Perry played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and produced 12 goals and 13 assists through 81 games last season. The Blackhawks acquired the 38-year-old pending free agent in a trade with the Lightning on June 29 in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and then signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal a day later.

Perry expressed his excitement to join the roster, not only to work with Richardson once again, but to experience the new team's dynamic after the Blackhawks drafted Connor Bedard as the No. 1 in this year's draft.

"They have a great vision and a great plan in place," Perry said. "It's starting to come together, and I think you'll see throughout the season and having Connor is a big boost. So, I'm excited to be a part of it."

Richardson described the Ontario native as a player who teams want due to his ability to help a team win games but also the ability to help the younger players on the team. While in Montreal, Perry played alongside both Suzuki and Caufield, who both started their early hockey careers with the Canadiens. Richardson noticed the way he could talk to the player to help with their game on and off the ice and knew he should come to the Blackhawks this season.

"He has a big footprint on making them what they are today," Richardson said. "I thought, when they brought his name up, it would be a great fit for us right now."

Perry was one of many veteran presences on that team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021 but suffered a 4-0 series loss against the Lightning. For him, he tried to look out for some of the younger players but always emphasized how hard it is to play in the NHL but allowed players to learn as they grew.

"This league is not easy, especially when you're 18, 19 or 20 years old," Perry said. "Coming into the league, you have to get your feet wet and try to figure out where you fit and I just try to help them out with that."

Now with the Blackhawks, Perry looks forward to working with new players that can join the roster this year along with seeing the start of Bedard as well.

"I'm excited for this," Perry said. "I'm excited for this opportunity and with Connor [Bedard] coming in and, and being the player that he is, I've watched many games with his especially in the World Juniors, so it's an exciting time for the Blackhawks."