The Los Angeles Kings made a few intriguing signings this summer. Joel Armia signed a two-year contract to give them wing depth, for instance. Others who signed include Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci. However, no Kings signing is more infamous than veteran forward Corey Perry.
There are a number of reasons for Perry’s infamy. His bad luck in the Stanley Cup Final is one relevant point. Perry has skated in five of the last six Finals. However, he has lost each of them. Once with the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and Tampa Bay Lightning. The last two with the Edmonton Oilers.
Now, Perry is off to California to join the Kings. This is not his first Californian adventure, of course. The veteran forward spent the first 14 years of his career with the Anaheim Ducks. Perry spoke about what returning to California means to him while at a recent celebrity golf tournament.
“Playing in California, playing in Anaheim for 14 years, you kind of call that home,” the new Kings forward said, via Mike Zeisberger. “It was a big part of my career, my life, and it always will be. Going back to California, we know it’s not the exact same place, but it’s still exciting to go back to Southern California. We’re looking forward to it.”
Corey Perry Found Great Success in California
Leila Devlin/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Kings forward Corey Perry spent 14 years of his career in California.
Perry certainly has fond memories of California. He found a ton of success early in his career with the Ducks. For instance, he was an important part of the Ducks’ 2007 Stanley Cup-winning team. He scored six goals and 15 points in 21 games as Anaheim defeated the Ottawa Senators in the Final.
Shortly thereafter, he became one of the best players in the NHL. From 2008 to 2012, Perry lit up the opposition. He scored 175 goals and 360 points in 392 regular-season games. In 2010-11, he won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s best goal scorer. And he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL MVP.
The new Kings forward never quite reached those heights again following the 2011-12 season. However, he remained a high-level talent for Anaheim. He stuck around until the 2019 offseason, when he left to join the Stars.
Though he never won another Cup, he left a legacy in Anaheim. And he is undoubtedly one of the greatest players to ever play for the Ducks franchise.
Perry Bracing for Kings-Ducks Matchup
Perry has faced the Ducks several times as an opponent at this point. In fact, the Kings are the third Pacific Division team he’s played for, including Anaheim. In saying this, he admitted that playing his former team with his new team is going to be a bit different.
“It’ll be strange to be in that building in a Kings jersey,” he told NHL.com with a chuckle. “After all, there were a lot of years where I was on the home team there and they were the enemy.”
Perry is hoping to win one last ring before he hangs up his skates. And he hopes he can help the Kings capture their first championship in over a decade. He will make his Los Angeles debut on October 7 against the Colorado Avalanche, while his first matchup in Anaheim with Los Angeles is scheduled for November 28.
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