Monday marks Corey Perry's 11th time facing his old team and his fifth time coming back to Honda Center. Perry is 2-2-0 in his career against the Ducks at the arena he called home for 14 seasons.
He's seen and done a lot since being bought out by the Ducks during the summer of 2019. He's appeared in 97 Stanley Cup Playoffs games––including four consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances––and played alongside some of the best players in the world, all while continuing to play that classic Corey Perry-style of hockey.
"The Worm," as he is known by many in the hockey community, is just a couple of months shy of his 40th birthday. Perry has said in the past that he would like to play until age 40, at least. Beyond that is just a question of whether he feels his body can keep playing––or if the offers will keep coming from NHL teams.
"I said last year in the playoffs, five more years, so (this season) puts this (at) four more," Perry said. "One season at a time, one game at a time. I still love every single day being a part of the team, being around the guys, being in the dressing room, on the ice. Just that camaraderie that you bond with as a team, it's still special."
14 years and a day ago, Perry scored his 50th goal of the season, a campaign which concluded with him winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, the NHL's version of the MVP award. His 50th goal was a hat trick marker, the cherry on top for an eventual 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. While Perry remembers that season going well for himself, the Ducks did not make it past the first round of the playoffs, falling to the Nashville Predators in six games.
"The second half of the season was pretty good," Perry said. "It was kind of like everything I was shooting was going in the net. It was a good feeling, but at the end of the day, you don't get it done. The goal is to win a Stanley Cup and that didn't happen. But, personally, that's a season that I'll never forget."
Ryan Getzlaf, the Ducks' longest-tenured captain in franchise history and Perry's longtime friend and linemate for many seasons, will be eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame this upcoming summer. In Perry's mind, there is no doubt that Getzlaf will be a first-ballot choice.
"He was one of the best two-way forwards in the game for a long, long time," Perry said. "Over 1,000 points, played many games for one ...
