Attention hockey fanatics! Corey Perry returns to Tampa Bay. The Los Angeles Kings have transferred the veteran forward to the Lightning in a move that promises to strengthen the team. The trade was finalized on Friday, in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2028. Perry, with 11 goals and 28 points in 50 games this season, will reunite with his former Lightning teammates, a team he played with between 2021 and 2023. During his previous stint in Tampa Bay, the team reached the Stanley Cup final in both seasons, although with adverse results. Perry, who lifted the Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks, has participated in five of the last six finals, without achieving victory, including the consecutive ones with the Edmonton Oilers in 2024 and 2025. He holds the record for reaching the final with five different teams throughout his career: Anaheim, Dallas, Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Edmonton. Perry’s experience and skill, combined with his ability to destabilize the opposition, make him a valuable player in the postseason. The Lightning, who have overcome several key injuries this season, are looking to consolidate their position in the contest, and Perry will add depth to their offensive line.
Sources close to the situation revealed that Perry, with a one-year contract and $2 million with performance bonuses, has just received a $250,000 bonus for playing 50 games this season. In addition, the Lightning will pay him $125,000 for a win in the first round of the playoffs, $250,000 for the second round, and $125,000 for a win in the conference finals.
On the other hand, Los Angeles has struggled this season, despite a significant trade last month for forward Artemi Panarin. The Kings also lost forward Kevin Fiala to a broken leg suffered in the Olympics. Recently, the Kings fired coach Jim Hiller and are three points out of a wild card spot in the Western Conference.
