Edmonton is one of hockey’s most passionate markets, but let’s be honest, like most fan bases, Edmonton Oilers fans can quickly despise the opposing teams’ pestering, agitating types. Players like Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers) or Drew Doughty (LA Kings) are booed every time they touch the puck in Oil Country. Corey Perry was once on that list, too. But something funny happens when gritty, feisty, agitating-type players join your team. They become beloved.
That’s precisely what happened with Perry. The moment he signed with the Oilers in early 2024, the boos stopped. Oilers fans quickly saw what fans of the Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and others already knew: Perry brings more than just stats. He brings edge. He helps form identity. Night in and night out, he displays an immeasurable willingness to go places on the ice others won’t, especially when it matters most.
And just like that, he’s gone … like a thief in the night who stole nothing on his way to the City of Angels except the hearts of many Oilers fans.
What Perry Meant to Edmonton
Perry didn’t just fill a roster spot—he helped define a playoff identity. At 40 years old, he scored 19 goals in the regular season and another 10 in the playoffs. He wasn’t there to pad stats; he was there to tilt the ice, park in front of the net, deliver a timely hit, draw a penalty, and score a greasy goal when no one else could.
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He was a presence on the ice, on the bench, in the room, and in the heads of opponents. That’s hard to replace. The Oilers’ inability to re-sign Perry didn’t go unnoticed. Within days, the Kings announced they had inked him to a one-year deal worth $2 million.
The Kings have been bounced in the playoffs by the Oilers four years in a row. They’ve had a front-row seat to exactly what Perry can do—and now they want him on their side. That says something. It’s also a warning to Edmonton: Perry’s going to be in Stuart Skinner’s crease next spring, and not in a blue and orange jersey.
Was Not Re-signing Perry a Mistake?
You can argue that, at 40, Perry’s role was always going to dwindle. Injuries. Aging legs. Maybe the idea was to bring in someone younger. Perhaps the plan is set with Trent Frederic, who is 27. But can he replace what Perry brought when considering hockey’s illuminating intangibles?
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Can the Oilers honestly find a replacement for Perry, a player who pokes the puck loose, who gets under a goalie’s skin, who knows when to say the quiet thing out loud to get a power play? Because that’s what ‘The Worm’ did while donning an Oilers jersey. He didn’t just play minutes—he played moments. Ultimately, Oilers fans cannot deny that Perry earned his keep in Edmonton.
Perry Brought the Intangibles that Matter
Perry has now appeared in six Stanley Cup Finals with five different teams. That’s not a coincidence. He knows how to get through the grind. He brings a specific gravity and tenacity to the rink, especially during tough stretches.
Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
From the moment he arrived in Edmonton, he gave the Oilers a look they’d been missing: harder to play against, more emotionally engaged, and less fragile under pressure. With Perry gone, along with Evander Kane, that hard-edged core may be disappearing. The Oilers may still have the skill. But do they still have the snarl?
Perry Is Not Just a “Nice Story”
Some might say it was time to move on. Perry is ancient in hockey years. Additionally, a notable point being discussed within the hockey community concerns the amount of money Perry signed for; it wasn’t a price tag the Oilers were willing to pay.
But 37-year-old Brad Marchand just signed a six-year deal to stay in Florida. Three-time Stanley Cup-winner Jonathan Toews is returning to the NHL after signing a contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Age isn’t the issue. Role and value are. Perry had both.
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The Kings believe that. The Oilers once did. Whether they still should have—that’s something we’ll only know come Spring 2026.
What Comes Next for the Oilers?
If Edmonton finds itself in a tight playoff game next year, looking for someone to spark a comeback or stir the pot, Perry won’t be there. He’ll be on the other side. And in that moment, when he’s digging into the crease, throwing off Skinner’s angles, and drawing the ire of the Oilers’ home crowd, fans might realize: they didn’t just lose a 41-year-old forward.
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They lost something more challenging to measure. They lost a player who gave the Oilers an edge. Snarl. And players who fuse those profound intangibles to their game are a lot harder to find than people think.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
