Perry excited to join Lightning and reunite with Maroon

It might take Tampa Bay Lightning fans time to warm up to newly-acquired veteran forward Corey Perry. The last time Bolts nation got a look at the veteran forward, he was stirring it up for Montreal in the Stanley Cup Final, instigating and getting under the skin of Lightning players, much like he did two seasons ago in the Cup Final against the Bolts while with Dallas.
Perry is one of those classic players who fans hate when he's on the opposing team but love when he's on the home squad, much like Patrick Maroon or Brian Boyle before him. The memories of Perry's post-whistle antics will take some time for Lightning supporters to forget.
Not so much for his new Lightning teammates, however.

Soon after the Lightning defeated the Canadiens in five games to win back-to-back Stanley Cups, they reached out to Perry about joining forces and aiming for a third-straight Cup Final, this time on the good guys' side. Perry weighed his options in the offseason and found Tampa Bay was the best fit for him.
He signed a two-year contract worth an AAV of $1 million. Through the first two days of Lightning training camp, Perry skated on a line with Ross Colton and Mathieu Joseph. On Saturday, head coach Jon Cooper mixed things up a bit, sticking him with Colton and Steven Stamkos.
"I'm excited to be here," Perry said. "Guys called me and said we want to win again. Words coming out of the guys' mouths so soon after winning their second, that just shows you what kind of group we have here and what they want to do. Glad to be a part of that."
Patrick Maroon was one of the multiple Lightning players excited to have Perry on the team. The two played parts of five seasons together in Anaheim where Maroon broke into the National Hockey League. It was skating on a line with Perry during a postseason run with the Ducks where Maroon said his game really started to take off.
The two are close friends now - despite their battles in the past two Cup Finals - and it was Maroon who was Perry's most persistent recruiter this offseason.

"He's kind of my neighbor now so it's cool to hang out with him, hang out with his wife, hang out with his kid. I'm really looking forward to it," Maroon said. "I think he's going to be a huge asset to this team. I think he's willing to win again. He has a sour taste in his mouth. He believes this team can win three in a row."
Perry could end up playing on a line with Maroon too, although they've yet to skate together in camp.
"I think that gritty line we had last year, I think he fits that," Maroon said. "You've got to remember, he scored 50 goals in this league [in 2010-11]. He can score, and he can find ways to get around the net. He can be very effective on the power play, which we have a really good power play. I think every unit he's going to succeed, and if you put him with anyone he's going to succeed. He's very good below the top of the circles. Very effective. Very good hands. Very competitive. I just can't wait for you guys to get a load of him. I think he's a heck of a player, and he's a little rat. He's fun to watch. He is a high-end, skilled, big power forward that is dangerous around the net. You guys saw it, he scores against us all the time. I think there's a reason why we had an eye on him this year. I'm looking forward to just getting back with him and hanging out with him."
BOGOSIAN'S RING STORY:Zach Bogosian didn't get his 2020 Stanley Cup championship ring with the rest of the Tampa Bay Lightning because he was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they were distributed.
Instead, he got his ring this offseason. Ryan McDonagh delivered it to him. A couple days after the Bolts' second boat parade, McDonagh flew north to his lake house in Wisconsin. Bogosian resides in Minnesota. The two met each other halfway at a gas station in Wisconsin where McDonagh presented the defenseman with his reward for helping the Bolts get over the hump and capture the Stanley Cup that had eluded them for a number of seasons prior.
He opened the box right there at the gas station sitting in his car.
"It was awesome," he said. "I couldn't wait to go anywhere. I just opened the box I was so excited."

Bogosian's wife Bianca was also in the car and received a pendant necklace all the players' wives were gifted. Bogosian said he knew he would get his ring eventually, just wasn't sure when. Luckily, the timing worked out he could meet up for McDonagh to make the drop.
"I was just in awe. Pictures do it no justice. Videos do it no justice," said Bogosian, who signed a three-year contract to return to the Lightning this offseason. "When you get a chance to lay your physical eyes on it, it's special."
Bogosian didn't spend too much time admiring the high-priced gift in the gas station parking lot though.
"I locked it up right away, put it in my back seat and drove as fast as I could (back home)," he joked.
VETERANS MAKE FIRST CAMP APPEARANCE: Pat Maroon and Zach Bogosian missed the first two days of on-ice training camp sessions with a non-COVID related illness.
Not to worry, however. Both were able to return to the ice for Saturday's practice. Maroon skated on a line with Jack Finley and Gage Goncalves while Bogosian partnered with Darren Raddysh, a free agent signing who is the older brother of forward prospect Taylor Raddysh.
Speaking of Maroon, the three-time Stanley Cup winner held his first media availability since returning to Tampa on Friday and looked noticeably leaner, so much so Lightning TV play-by-play broadcaster Dave Randorf asked him about his training regimen during the offseason. Maroon said he changed up workouts and was able to hit the gym harder with relaxed Covid restrictions.
"It wasn't about losing the pounds, it was just trying to get leaner and taking care of myself a little more, getting in the gym a little more," Maroon said. "My trainer did a good job. We got back to an old routine of the St. Louis and Edmonton days. The last two years have been with Covid and short offseasons, it was hard to get into the gym. Just wanted the body relaxed. I did that, relaxed a little bit, changed my diet a little bit, but I got in there and hit it hard this year."