The pesky Perry should once again be inserted back in the Oilers' lineup to make a mark in the series.
Corey Perry has been a topic of conversation this season, for not only the Edmonton Oilers, but also the Chicago Blackhawks. After starting the season with the Blackhawks and having his contract terminated, he eventually found himself on the Oilers and in the Stanley Cup Final with his fifth different team.
Perry has had an interesting run to the final, that's for sure. He went scoreless in the first 10 games of the postseason before being a healthy scratch for four games. After being re-inserted into the lineup and moved up to the second line, he soon dropped back down and then back out of the lineup again for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers.
It was for more reasons than just not having Perry, but there was less push-back by the Oilers and the team had a worse game when the veteran was out of the lineup in Game 2. Perry is now back in the lineup. This is an important and correct decision in my eyes.
Perry has the most Stanley Cup experience in the series, having played in four prior finals and winning once. If he plays his style of hockey, which he has to, the Oilers have a better chance of getting under the Panthers' skin and drawing penalties. There has been a lot of talk about the Oilers' power play adapting for Game 3 and a team with Perry is going to draw more attention and anger from the opponents than if he's sitting in the press box.
Perry has just one point in 14 games and has averaged just over 11 minutes of ice time per game, but I expect him to be effective in that limited time regardless. This may be one of the last games he plays in the NHL at 39 years old. Going out on top seems like the way to do it and Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch has shown he isn't afraid to take anyone out of the lineup. Perry could come back out for Game 4 if he isn't effective and as he's on his third opportunity, I don't see a fourth if he blows it.
