A Trip Down Memory Lane: Corey Perry Misses Three Times In a Row
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One of the most bizarre ongoing stories of the past few years in the NHL would have to be that of longtime veteran forward Corey Perry. No doubt about it, his near miss of the Stanley Cup three years in a row would make a remarkable episode of reality television.
With Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Joe Pavelski highlighting the summer 2019 free agent list, the buyout of Corey Perry that allowed him to join that pool of players was not a main focus. His one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Dallas Stars was a cheap addition and gave the team another veteran to help build off the first round win in the previous season. Perry had many iconic moments in 2019-20, from playing in his 1,000th NHL game, to being suspended from the Winter Classic, and his return to his 13-year home, Anaheim.
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After finishing third in the Central Division, Corey Perry and the Dallas Stars came to the NHL bubble playoffs with a vengeance, yet rusty. The team lost two out of three games in the qualifying rounds, which earned them the third seed. Round one against the Calgary Flames was quite the back-and-forth competition, but the Stars came out on top in six games. Another tough series awaited Perry and his new team in the second round. It went to seven games, but Dallas came out on top once again against the Colorado Avalanche. The Western Conference Finals were not as big of a challenge for the squad, as they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. The last test for the Stars was the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team poised for success. Dallas put up an incredible fight for six games, but was no match for the Lightning. This begins Corey Perry’s unlucky spell.
After his quest for the Stanley Cup with Dallas came to an end, Corey Perry once again found himself a free agent. He ended up signing another one-year deal, this time with the Montreal Canadiens, and a $750,000 value. As a veteran clearly looking for a Stanley Cup contender, many were confused by Perry going to Montreal, as the team had not made it out of the second round since 2014. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL switched up the divisions for the regular season. Montreal was a part of the North Division, with all six Canadian teams. The top four teams in each division made the playoffs and the Canadiens barely snuck in as the fourth seed.
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Heading into a second year of playoffs with little to no fans in the stands, Corey Perry was determined to right his wrong of the previous year. Round one was against the regular season North Division champions, Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto’s 16-year streak of not making it past the first round became 17 when the Canadiens took them out in seven games. Next up was the third North Division seed, Winnipeg Jets. The Jets proved to, once again, be a painfully average NHL squad when Montreal completed a sweep. For a second year in a row, Corey Perry would be facing the Vegas Golden Knights in round three. Like 2020, Vegas was not a match for Perry’s team and six games was what it took that time around. Last but not least, the Tampa Bay Lightning were the final test. Five games later, Perry’s fate was decided. Yet again, he had lost the Stanley Cup to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Fresh off another Stanley Cup loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Corey Perry took a different approach to free agency in the summer of 2021. He decided to sign with the Lightning, rather than a team that could possibly lose to them again. It seemed like a perfect match in the eyes of many. Once again, as a veteran looking for a Stanley Cup contender, why not sign with the team that just went back-to-back? To nobody’s surprise, the Lightning finished in the top three in the Atlantic Division and clinched a playoff spot. For the third year in a row, Corey Perry would have a shot at the Stanley Cup.
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Like 2021, Corey Perry would be taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. Their 17-year streak of missing the second round of the NHL playoffs became 18 when Tampa Bay clinched it in seven games. Round two against the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winner Florida Panthers seemed like it would be tough, but was quite the opposite. The Lightning swept the Panthers and sent the roster back to Florida. Tampa’s 2022 Eastern Conference Final opponent ended up being the New York Rangers. After dropping the first two games to New York, Tampa Bay won four straight games and was off to compete for the Stanley Cup for the third year in a row.
All of the pieces were coming together, and Corey Perry seemed sure of it. The Lightning were back in the championship round for a reason, and so was he. This confidence all came crashing down on June 26th when the Colorado Avalanche won game six of the series and hoisted the Stanley Cup. Tampa Bay did not complete a “three-peat,” but Perry did. He lost the Stanley Cup two years in a row to the Lightning and a third year as a member of the Lightning. While this story is still relatively recent, it will absolutely be remembered for years to come.
