When Corey Perry started the season with the Chicago Blackhawks, few would’ve guessed he would play a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
It’s his 10th Game 7 of his career, as the Edmonton Oilers skate out for one of the biggest games in NHL history against the Florida Panthers in Florida on Monday night.
Perry is, at 39, the oldest Oiler. And when he skates out for the all-deciding game on Monday, it will be his 215th playoff game.
With that, he’ll move past Hall of Famers Kevin Lowe and Ray Bourque and tie Larry Murphy for 12th most all-time.
Perry only has three points through 18 games this postseason, but he brings leadership and experience to a team that hasn’t won a Cup since 1990.
But could this be his final game? As the Oilers practice came to an end on Sunday, Perry tapped all his teammates before leaving the ice.
Many believed it to be him saying goodbye, and afterward, he got some questions about his future.
But Perry, with all clarity, denied he is stepping away from hockey.
”Uh, no. I’ve got more in me,” Perry said.
”I’ve got lots more in me: five more years.”
When Perry claimed he had five more years in him, the media gathered in the room started laughing. Perry didn’t think it was funny.
”What’s so funny? I feel like I’m 25!” he said.
Corey Perry, Joe Pavelski, Jeff Carter, and Marc-Andre Fleury are the only players left from the 2003 NHL Draft. With Pavelski and Carter retiring after this season, it’s only a very small group left, 21 years later.
”I’m going to keep playing until they cut my skates off,” Perry said.
”I’ve always said that. I want to continue to play. I love the game, I love being around the room and it’s just the camaraderie that you have and that bond you have with guys in this sport.”
