Growing Push for Oilers to Reunite With Familiar Face Given Babcock’s Plans

Corey Perry is hitting free agency again — and there’s growing support among fans of the Edmonton Oilers for Stan Bowman to reach out and make an offer. The veteran will be available, liked his time with the Oilers, and he’ll come in at a reasonable rate. All things that might work in the Oilers favor.

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Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois confirmed this week that Perry will not be returning to the Lightning, making the 40-year-old winger available for the second straight summer. Last July, Perry signed a one-year deal with the Kings before being traded back to Tampa at the deadline. Now he’s back on the market, and the Oilers should be at the front of the line.

Perry the Right Fit Under Mike Babcock’s Oilers

The experienced, edgy Perry — who will, in no way, be intimidated by new coach Mike Babcock — could be an ideal fit for the Oilers. They need depth scoring, and his numbers still hold up.

Perry finished the regular season with 17 goals and 37 points across 72 games between Los Angeles and Tampa Bay. At 13 minutes a night on a veteran minimum-type deal, that production is nearly impossible to replicate at that price point. He’s not the Perry of 2011, but the Oilers won’t ask him to be. What they do want, and Babcock made it clear, is more production from the rest of the lineup as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl‘s minutes go down.

This season won’t just be about the two stars playing all the time. Edmonton needs production throughout the lineup. Who better than Perry, who can contribute no matter what role he’s given?

This would work both in 5-v-5 situations and on the power play. The Oilers want to have balanced scoring and a second unit. He’s a net-front presence, a power play specialist, and one of the most psychologically difficult players in the league to play against. He commands respect and plays with an edge. He’ll be a good go-between for the players and Babcock, and he’ll require everyone get on board with the game plan.

More importantly, Perry knows this team. He reached the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton in both 2024 and 2025, and there’s value in bringing back someone who knows the stakes. There’s no adjustment period, no settling in — he walks back into the lineup on day one and contributes.

The fit is obvious. Edmonton needs cheap, accountable depth on the wing with playoff experience. Perry is the definition of that player. He won’t cost much, won’t demand a big role, and won’t wilt in what will be an interesting environment this season. His reputation would be beneficial given the circumstances surrounding this group.

Will the Oilers make a push on July 1 to do this? And, if so, how many teams will they be competing with for his services?

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