McDavid says Perry ‘great add’ for red-hot Oilers

The Oilers have turned their season around after a slow start. They are on a franchise-record 13 game winning streak, which is also a record for a Canada-based NHL team. Perry practiced with them for the first time Monday.

Edmonton hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Place on Tuesday (9 p.m., ET; TVAS, SNW, BSOH) and Chicago on Thursday before facing Nashville.

“We’ve had lots of battles when we’ve been on the other side, but you look around this room we’ve had a few guys come in that we’ve had a little hostility against before coming in here, so it’s nice to play with him,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “He’s won in every aspect of this game, so he has a high pedigree and it’s great to be able to take some of that knowledge in this room and get to some of those heights he’s been at, so for us, we welcome him into this room.”

Perry had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 16 games for the Blackhawks. He was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on June 29, 2023, and signed a one-year, $4 million contract the next day.

Selected by Anaheim in the first round (No. 28) of 2003 NHL Draft, Perry has 892 points (421 goals, 471 assists) in 1,273 games during 19 NHL seasons with the Ducks, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Lightning and Blackhawks. He won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007 and the 2011 Hart Trophy voted as NHL most valuable player after he had 98 points (50 goals, 48 assists) in 82 games. Perry has 124 points (53 goals, 71 assists) in 196 playoff games.

Perry lost in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams, Dallas in 2020, Montreal in 2021 and Tampa Bay in 2022.

“I think he brings a whole new dynamic,” said Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak, who played with Perry for the Canadiens. “We talk about the playoff experience — he’s maybe got the most playoff experience in the NHL at this point, and that’s something that’s always nice to have in the dressing room. We have a few guys that have pretty good playoff experience, but he’s in a category of his own in that sense. The age and the leadership and maturity, it’s a nice balance in the room for sure.”