Veteran forward Corey Perry shared candid reflections on his departure from the Edmonton Oilers following two consecutive Stanley Cup Final losses.
Veteran forward Corey Perry has had a career that is the epitome of resilience, determination, and professionalism, earning him a spot as one of the NHL’s most respected and well-traveled players. After spending several seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Perry’s departure from the team in the wake of two consecutive Stanley Cup Final losses has left fans, teammates, and analysts alike wondering about the next chapter in his illustrious career. But as Perry himself shared in candid reflections on his exit from the Oilers, this was not just a decision about hockey—it was a reflection of who he had become as a player and as a person.
For Perry, leaving the Oilers wasn’t just a question of losing a couple of Stanley Cup Finals. It was about assessing the road that had led him here, where he stood now, and what the next phase of his career would look like. In a conversation that offered rare insight into the mind of a player who has experienced both incredible highs and gut-wrenching lows, Perry opened up about the emotional weight of the last few years, his relationships with his teammates, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
When Corey Perry first joined the Edmonton Oilers, he was stepping into a team that was seen by many as a contender for the Stanley Cup. The Oilers had been building a powerhouse around the elite talents of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and Perry, with his wealth of playoff experience and leadership qualities, was seen as the perfect addition to help get the team over the hump. The years of playoff disappointment had begun to wear on Edmonton fans and players alike, and Perry’s arrival represented the kind of veteran leadership that the team hoped would guide them to a championship.
The Oilers’ playoff runs in 2022 and 2023 showed promise, with the team making it to the Stanley Cup Final in both seasons. But as much as it seemed like a long-awaited breakthrough, both campaigns ended in crushing defeat. Perry, who had made his name in the postseason for his tenacity and ability to come through in big moments, found himself unable to help push the Oilers over the edge, as the team came up short against stronger and more experienced opponents.
In 2022, the Oilers fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final, losing in five games despite showing flashes of brilliance. The following year, the Oilers made another strong push, only to be undone by the Colorado Avalanche in a hard-fought, seven-game series that stretched the team’s resolve to its limits. After each of these campaigns, there was an undeniable sense of unfinished business. The Oilers were close, but they weren’t quite there, and Perry, now well into his 30s, understood the weight of these missed opportunities—not just for himself, but for the entire organization.
“Two Cup Finals losses… it’s hard to put into words how much that takes out of you,” Perry said during a reflective moment after his departure from the Oilers. “You put in all that work, you get so close, and yet, at the end of it, you come up short. It’s devastating. It wasn’t about me. It was about the team. We all felt the weight of those losses, because we knew what we had on paper, and we knew what we were capable of. But sometimes, the hockey gods just aren’t on your side.”
Perry’s time in Edmonton wasn’t just about playing hockey—it was about living with the pressure of expectations. He knew that every game, every shift, and every decision had larger implications. The Oilers were stacked with talent, and many of them, especially McDavid and Draisaitl, were in their prime. Perry had been brought in for the sole purpose of getting the team closer to that elusive championship, but the burden of not being able to deliver weighed heavily on him.
“Losing is tough in this league,” Perry continued, “but losing when you’re so close, when you know you have the talent to win, it hurts differently. It starts to eat at you. The longer you go without getting that Cup, the harder it gets to silence the doubts, to quiet the pressure. I remember after both of those Finals losses, sitting in the locker room thinking, ‘Is this it? Is this where my career ends—getting so close, but never winning it all?’”
The emotional toll of these near-misses was compounded by the uncertainty of what the future would hold. For Perry, who had been in the league for over 15 years, the thought of another season without a Stanley Cup was becoming unbearable. The passion to win still burned, but it was matched with the reality that time was running out for him to claim that final prize.
“The one thing about playing this long is that you start to realize your career has a shelf life,” Perry admitted. “There’s a window, and you don’t always get to control when that window closes. At some point, you have to ask yourself, ‘Am I willing to keep fighting for this goal, or is it time to step away and let the next chapter begin?’”
As much as Perry loved playing in Edmonton, he knew that he could no longer give the team what it needed in order to win a Stanley Cup. After the loss to the Colorado Avalanche in the 2023 Finals, he began to wrestle with the idea of moving on from the Oilers. For a player like Perry, who had been on contending teams for most of his career, the thought of being in a situation where he wasn’t competing for a championship wasn’t something he could entertain.
“It’s tough to leave a team like Edmonton,” Perry reflected. “I mean, you’re talking about Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and some of the best players in the league. The energy there, the ambition—there’s a reason why that team is on the cusp of greatness. But at the end of the day, I knew I needed a change. I needed a new direction, something that would reignite that fire for me. I have a lot of pride in this game, and I’m not just going to sit around collecting checks. I want to be a part of something that can give me a chance to win again.”
Perry’s decision to leave the Oilers was not one made lightly. It was a mixture of personal and professional reflection, a recognition that the team’s championship window was still open but not necessarily with him as the key figure in that equation. As much as he had poured into the team, he acknowledged that younger players were beginning to step into leadership roles, and it was time for him to step away and allow those players to take the reins.
So, what’s next for Corey Perry? That remains to be seen. While his departure from the Oilers marks the end of a chapter, it is by no means the end of his career. The veteran forward has expressed a desire to keep playing, though it is clear that his next move will be about finding the right opportunity, both personally and professionally. It could mean joining another contending team with a legitimate shot at the Cup, or it could mean moving on from the game altogether. What is certain is that Perry still has a lot of hockey left in him, and his experience, leadership, and ability to perform in big moments will make him a sought-after asset for any team looking to strengthen their roster.
“I’m not done,” Perry said with a grin. “I’m not walking away from the game. If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I’m not afraid of challenges. I’ve faced plenty of adversity in my career, and this is just another one of those moments. I’ve got a lot to give, and I’ll find a way to use that to help a team reach their goals. Whether that’s with another team or in a different role, we’ll see. I’m not giving up yet.”
Perry’s journey in the NHL has been one of perseverance, sacrifice, and excellence. While his departure from the Oilers may signify a shift, it does not signal the end of his career. His competitive spirit, dedication to his craft, and ability to lead by example will remain at the forefront of whatever team he joins next. And for the Oilers, even though Perry is no longer in the fold, his influence will remain embedded in the fabric of their franchise, as a player who gave everything to help them win.
As for Perry, while the sting of two Stanley Cup Final losses will likely never go away, he is determined to keep fighting, to keep playing, and to chase the one thing that has eluded him for so long: the ultimate prize in hockey. Whatever the future holds for him, Corey Perry will continue to be a player who gives everything for the game—and a player who remains, in every sense, a competitor.
