BLOG: Perry prepares for return to Anaheim

ANAHEIM, CA – A few steps into Honda Center and a flood of memories come rushing back for Corey Perry.

The veteran NHL winger was just 22 years old and a sophomore in the league when he was part of the Anaheim Ducks squad that captured the 2007 Stanley Cup in five games over the Ottawa Senators.

"It's a pretty special place," he said Friday morning. "It was home for 14 years and I can't say enough good things about this city, about the organization and everything they did for me coming into the league."

Perry would spend 12 more seasons (14 total) in Orange County, winning the Hart and Rocket Richard trophies after a dominant 50-goal, 98-point campaign in 2010-11, and on Friday night he'll suit up for just the third time in the rink on Katella Avenue as a member of the visiting team.

The now-38-year-old played for the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks after leaving Anaheim and before signing with Edmonton on Jan. 22, making the Cup Final three years in a row in 2020, 2021 and 2022. But due to scheduling as well as a suspension during his first visit back with the Stars in January 2020, he's only played two prior games in Anaheim with the opposition.

Thanks to the NHL All-Star break occurring right after his debut, Perry has only played two games for the Oilers since joining the team, logging 12:44 on Jan. 27 vs. Nashville and 12:35 on Tuesday in Vegas. That number is likely to increase on Friday as he's projected to move up the lineup and play alongside Evander Kane and Leon Draisaitl.

"It's exciting," he smiled "I've always wanted to be that type of player and continue to be that type of player to contribute wherever I can and step up and be inserted wherever [the coaches] feel fit. Hopefully I can take it and run with it and never look back."

Perry had a front-row seat for many of Draisaitl's dominant performances against the Ducks, as the superstar centreman boasts 27 goals and 28 assists in 38 career regular season and playoff appearances vs. Anaheim. Now he gets to ride shotgun with the elite offensive talent.

"He's a tremendous passer," Perry said. "The vision he has, you can't teach that. And playing with him, you've just got to figure out how to get open and create some space for him. I'm a guy that will go to the net and Kaner is a guy that can shoot the puck, so I think that the line could work."

Click here for more projected lineup notes as the Oilers visit Anaheim on Friday.