Oilers notebook: Corey Perry defying age and producing for ...

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The 39-year-old is finding different ways to chip in on the Oilers fourth-line and still brings his gritty game to the forefront

Published Dec 16, 2024  •  Last updated 2 days ago  •  5 minute read

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Corey Perry is still truckin’ along as the NHL’s fourth oldest player.

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Perry, 39, seems rooted on the Oilers fourth line, currently on left side rather than his usual right because Connor Brown has been on right wing with centre Derek Ryan, but he picked up his sixth goal on his 29th shot in his 30th game Saturday against Vegas.

“He’s chipping in. He’s not getting a lot of ice-time, but he’s dangerous around the net. It’s tough in this league to score goals and we’re always looking for his edge,” said Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch.

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“He pretty much been on the fourth line, although he’s moved up a bit for a few games with Leon (Draisaitl, also getting some PP work with Zach Hyman out),” said Knoblauch.

“Now, he’s on left-wing and able to make nice plays on the breakouts, playing his off-wing. He’s still an agitator, he can score goals, he’s good defensively. Corey brings a lot to our team.”

Maybe we weren’t expecting Perry to play every game with Christmas drawing near, but he’s been in the lineup for all 30 because of the lean roster (salary cap issues). All six of his goals are even-strength, and seven of his nine points. Last season in 38 games here after being signed when Chicago let him go, Perry had eight goals — six at 5-on-5.

So 14 goals in his 68 Oiler games. Not bad for his age.

Only Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, St. Louis Blues defenceman Ryan Suter and Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Brent Burns are older than Perry.

SOUNDS OF SILENCE

Crickets from the NHL Player Safety folks on the heavy shove by Vegas Golden Knights centre Jack Eichel that propelled Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm face-first into the boards Saturday. Very dangerous play but no penalty at the time, no slap-on-the-wrists league fine Sunday, upon further review. Instead? “just move along nothing to see here.”

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Hard to believe but who knows with supplementary discipline in this league?

Ekholm, who consistently plays a hard but an honest game, hit the nail right on the head when he said post-game “If that had been me (hitter), I wouldn’t have said a word (right to the penalty box).”

Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse knows his ilk all spend their NHL lives along the boards where danger lurks and bowed to the old “you’ve got refs out there to make those judgment calls.”

But…

“As a D man (getting shoved four feet from the wall)… those are scary moments. I’m sure he (Eichel, three minors all season) didn’t intend to push him like that,” said Nurse. “As a D man you never want to be in that spot because you never know what might happen.”

ON A TEAR

Captain Obvious here, but Connor Brown has had a tad better puck luck this season than last. Saturday’s goal against Vancouver when Leon Draisaitl perfectly put a shot off Adin Hill’s pads and onto Brown’s waiting stick, was his fifth in 30 games. Last year he had four goals in 71 games. He didn’t get his first until his 55th game, a redirect of an Evander Kane shot against Washington.

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He’s got 12 points, same as he had all of last season.

The fifth seasonal goal came with his 15-month old son Nolan in the house at Rogers Place, a delight for dad. “Pretty surreal. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about. He’s been in a few warm-ups and he was banging on the glass (Saturday afternoon). A great day,” said Brown.

Next Brown goal? He’ll hit 100 for his career.

WAIVER WAIT AND SEE

While Oilers claimed right-shot defenceman Alec Regula off waivers from the Boston Bruins last Wednesday, he’s not part of their cap hit. He’s still deemed to be injured. He’s not close to being ready to play after his knee surgery. The Oilers knew that at the time of waivers but took him anyway. He’s still in rehab mode and actually was on his way to AHL Providence to continue that process when Oilers claimed him. He will likely be going to Bakersfield eventually to get some conditioning stint games in.

Meanwhile Josh Brown, ostensibly the No. 7 D in the organization now that Travis Dermott was claimed by Minnesota, has returned to Bakersfield after his recall in case Evan Bouchard couldn’t play against Vegas. With the Oilers at home all week for games against Florida, Boston, San Jose and Ottawa), they have six healthy defenceman and will accrue cap space with Brown in the minors.

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Dermott rushed to the airport Friday afternoon, flying from Edmonton to Denver to Minnesota after being claimed. He returned with the Oilers Thursday night after their 7-1 win in St. Paul. Dermott didn’t play Saturday against Philadelphia because Wild defenceman Jonas Brodin returned to the lineup.

COMING IN COLD

The Panthers have been blanked two straight on their Western road swing, 4-0 in Vancouver and 3-0 in Calgary but Florida coach Paul Maurice isn’t piling on the angst with the Stanley Cup rematch with the Oilers Monday.

“I don’t care about the offence. If they’re frustrated because they’re not scoring, that has nothing to do with us winning hockey games or being a good team. Everybody goes through stretches,” said the placid-sounding Maurice, who did have one concern though — and not a good heading into a game against Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.

“Our rush defence stinks. I’ve got to get that fixed,” said Maurice in Calgary.

This ‘n that

Draisaitl’s game-winner Saturday was his seventh this season, which leads the NHL, so a third of his 22 goals are game-winners. He has 68 game-winning goals in his career. Glenn Anderson leads with 72, McDavid has 71.One of the few Oilers records Wayne Gretzky doesn’t have. He had 68.

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To put Draisaitl’s league-leading 22 goals in perspective, 18 have been at even-strength… Florida captain Aleksander Barkov missed the Panthers loss in Calgary with the flu. They didn’t practise here Sunday so we’ll find out Monday morning at their skate if the Selke award winner is ready to go.

The Panthers packed heavier than normal for their long road trip, bringing along three Stanley Cup rings for former players. In Seattle, Brandon Montour and Josh Mahura got theirs and in Calgary Saturday Ryan Lomberg was presented his keepsake.

Florida comes to town just as their second-round draft pick (2023) Gracyn Sawchyn is on a hot streak with the Edmonton Oil Kings. The 160-pound centre, signed to a three-year entry-level contract in early November has lots of competitive fire and has 38 points in 26 games, going into Sunday’s game against Kamloops. Sawchyn, 19, has 166 points in 138 WHL games. Another Florida draft pick, local product, Hunter St. Martin has 22 goals in 30 games in Medicine Hat. He has an entry-level contract too. His urologist dad Blair played for Golden Bears.

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