Until recent weeks, the Tampa Bay Lightning had maintained their position as the best club in the Eastern Conference, though they've since been overtaken by the scorching-hot Buffalo Sabres.
The Lightning, who have not advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since their run to the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, decided to re-acquire some veteran grit who had helped them reach that point nearly four full years ago.
At the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, which was March 6, they brought back veteran Corey Perry, a familiar face. The Bolts acquired him from the Los Angeles Kings, where he had signed during the previous offseason, in return for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
It brings Perry back to the same place where he played from 2021 through 2023, which included a setback in the Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche, followed by a first-round series loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023.
However, he's happy to be back with a club that is one of the decided favorites to hoist Lord Stanley when this season is all said and done, and it was an easy decision for him and his family.
“It was a lot of back and forth, a lot of discussion with family, and eventually we made the decision,” he said, via NHL.com. “Happy to be here. Exciting.
“At the end of the day, we have a chance to win a Stanley Cup here. That's the goal. They have a pretty good team. When you win 20 of 22 or whatever it was, you have a pretty good team. I'm just here to help any way I can. It's exciting.”
Perry was a good fit with the Lightning in the past, and there are several reasons why he will be once again.
Corey Perry is a proven Stanley Cup Playoff performer
Perry, who won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Anaheim Ducks 19 seasons ago, has been a proven postseason performer throughout his entire NHL career. In his most recent two postseason appearances with the Lightning, he contributed a total of eight goals with eight assists.
Moving on to the Edmonton Oilers following a short stint with the Chicago Blackhawks, Perry went twice more to the Stanley Cup Final, contributing a total of 11 goals and six assists in both combined runs. His playoff performance last spring was especially noteworthy, as he contributed 10 goals alone.
The Lightning are out to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since they last advanced with Perry in 2022, and they hope that his experience and proven postseason acumen will pay off.
Perry won't need time to get acclimated to Tampa Bay
Multiple players who Perry played with during his previous tenure with the Lightning are still with the club, including names like Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, Ryan McDonagh, Brandon Hagel, and Anthony Cirelli. According to Perry, he heard from several of his former teammates immediately after the trade was completed.
“There were a lot of guys who I played with in that room who reached out right away,” Perry said. “The phone blew up … It was a long day yesterday with the delay, late flight, getting in late. Exciting to be here though.”
For Perry, returning to a club with which he is already well familiar will benefit not only him but also the group as a whole.
Lighting represent Perry's best chance for a successful Stanley Cup run
It's no secret that Perry has been somewhat jinxed when it comes to playing in the Stanley Cup Final aside from his sophomore season of 2006-07 with the Anaheim Ducks.
Perry has been on the losing end in five of the last six Stanley Cup Final series. While with the Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens, he fell to the Lightning in consecutive seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21). Upon joining the Lightning, he and his teammates were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
And as stated, he and the Oilers have been defeated twice in a row by the Florida Panthers. While it certainly can't be easy on Perry, he's keeping a level head about the disappointing setbacks and hopes that this time could be a happier ending for him.
“I’ve just been fortunate to be on some good teams and go on some good runs,” Perry said. “I’ve been blessed to play with some good players, and we’ve had some deep runs. It’s been disappointing, five of the last six years, but we’ll try to right that ship.”
Perry, who had signed a one-year contract with the Kings last offseason, scored in his Lightning season debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs and has tallied a total of 13 goals with 18 assists in 55 games played between the two teams in 2025-26.
