Breaking: Corey Perry Traded Back to the Tampa Bay Lightning

After reports on Thursday suggested that Corey Perry had no interest in leaving Los Angeles before the trade deadline, things have quickly taken a turn. The Former Edmonton Oiler has been traded from the Kings back to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent two successful seasons (2021-22, 2022-23).

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Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman was first to break news of the deal on X (formerly Twitter).

“Corey Perry to Tampa Bay from LA,”

Fellow insider Frank Seravalli has since reported that the Lightning will be sending a second-round pick in 2028 to the Kings for the veteran forward. Los Angeles will be retaining 50% of Perry’s $2 million salary, bringing him down to a $1 million cap hit for Tampa Bay.

The 40-year-old Perry is a pending UFA in the first and only year of that one-year, $2 million contract he signed to join the Kings as a free agent this summer. He’s having another productive year with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) tallied through 50 games played in Los Angeles.

Perry has notably been on the losing end of five of the last six Stanley Cup Finals with four different teams, starting with the Dallas Stars, then the Montreal Canadiens, the Lightning, and most recently twice as an Oiler.

You have to imagine that sour taste left in his mouth, along with the familiarity of returning to Tampa Bay — a legitimate Stanley Cup contender — was what swayed Perry’s mind, and he’ll now have a very good opportunity to capture that elusive second championship.

Next: Connor Ingram Could Be In Play Before the Trade Deadline