Corey Perry has fond memories of his one special season with the Canadiens

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It was just one season in a 20-year profession, barely a flicker over Corey Perry’s illustrious NHL odyssey.

However enjoying for the Canadiens in the course of the COVID season of 2020-21, when the franchise reached the Stanley Cup remaining for the primary time since 1993 earlier than shedding in 5 video games to Tampa Bay, had a profound impact on the Edmonton Oilers ahead, who remains to be going robust at age 39.

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“The Canadiens had been my favorite workforce rising up,” Perry stated Monday, following the Oilers’ morning skate on the Bell Centre. “I grew up 25 minutes from the Quebec border (in Haileybury, Ont.) in northern Ontario. It was the workforce my dad cheered for. For my household, the Montreal Canadiens had been the workforce. Once I put their jersey on the primary time it meant the world to me, and it nonetheless does.

“Each time I step on this ice it’s fairly particular.”

Perry joined the Canadiens as a free agent from Dallas, signing a one-year, US$750,000 contract, earlier than producing 9 targets and 21 factors over 49 video games. He remained efficient in Montreal’s post-season run, scoring 4 targets and 10 factors in 22 video games earlier than the magical run got here to a halt in opposition to the Lightning.

Perry expressed a want to re-sign with the storied franchise, however former common supervisor Marc Bergevin reportedly declined to supply the right-winger a two-year contract. On Monday, Perry refused to revisit that interval, though he was greater than content material to debate the Canadiens’ playoff run beneath uncommon circumstances created by the pandemic.

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“Every thing being closed,” he stated. “Curfew at 9 p.m. It didn’t hassle me as a result of there was nothing to do; you’re both on the rink or at your house. However that trip and the fun of being on this metropolis. You might really feel the environment exterior. Beating Vegas in additional time to go to the ultimate. We had been within the room till 2:30, 3 within the morning. We couldn’t go away with every little thing happening exterior. You might really feel that a part of it.

“Clearly I used to be dissatisfied to go away,” Perry added. “I wished to see the place it may have went. It’s a enterprise. Issues occur and all people strikes on.”

Chosen within the first spherical (twenty eighth total) by Anaheim in 2003, the 6-foot-3, 208-pound Perry made his NHL debut two seasons later, successful the Cup in 2007. If Perry thought it was going to be straightforward, he wasn’t completely flawed. He has reached the ultimate 4 different occasions, most just lately final season with Edmonton, having joined the Oilers after having his contract terminated by Chicago.

The Oilers trailed Florida 3-0 and compelled the collection to a seventh recreation earlier than shedding 2-1 on the highway within the finale.

“It’s irritating. They by no means get simpler,” Perry stated. “4 of the final 5 years I haven’t had the ending we wished. It’s why I’m nonetheless enjoying. It’s there. It’s on this room. You may’t look too far forward however we’ve to know what’s at stake.

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“That was the one probability I needed to win,” Perry added of the Oilers 3 times surviving elimination video games. “You get one aim in need of tying it and who is aware of what occurs after that? These are those that sting. Being down 3-0 within the remaining, coming again and forcing Recreation 7, it was a reasonably outstanding trip. These ones sting.”

Perry received the Hart Trophy, given to probably the most precious participant, together with the Rocket Richard Trophy, as the highest aim scorer, in 2010-11, when he tallied 50 targets and 98 factors in 82 video games for the Geese. In any other case, he has been a gritty, aggressive participant. Perry by no means will win a skating race, however gives hearth, sandpaper and intelligence to each workforce he has performed for.

He has appeared in 18 video games this season, scoring a modest three targets and an help whereas averaging 11:14 of ice time. Whereas Perry had been anticipated to be a fourth-line participant this season, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has him on the second line, with main scorer Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin. Perry has additionally obtained time on Edmonton’s second power-play unit.

“He has scored some key targets whereas normally enjoying 10-14 minutes an evening,” Knoblauch stated. “But it surely’s largely the management. Lots of people have numerous respect for his profession and the success he has had within the playoffs, the quantity of Stanley Cup video games he has had. He’s additionally a giant extension for the teaching workers.

“He has made a profession of being harmful across the web, particularly beneath the aim line. Discovering methods to sneak a aim in or making a play. He has been distinctive in that position.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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