Perry traded to Lightning by Kings for 2nd-round pick in 2028 Draft

Corey Perry was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the Los Angeles Kings on Friday for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.

The 40-year-old forward, who previously played for the Lightning from 2021-23, has 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 50 games for the Kings this season.

Perry signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Kings on July 1, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

He had 30 points (19 goals, 11 assists) in 81 regular-season games for the Edmonton Oilers last season and 14 points (10 goals, four assists) in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Perry helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons and has been to the Cup Final five of the past six seasons, losing each, including with Tampa Bay in 2022. 

He said the plan is to get back to the Final with the Lightning this season.

"There’s still some unfinished business, personally and with Tampa," Perry said on  TSN. "I’m excited to join the organization again and see some familiar faces.”

Selected by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim with the No. 28 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, Perry has 963 points (459 goals, 504 assists) in 1,442 regular-season games for the Ducks, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks, Oilers and Kings and 141 points (64 goals, 77 assists) in 237 playoff games, the third-most playoff games in NHL history behind Chris Chelios (266) and Nicklas Lidstrom (263).

Perry won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007.

"I’ve just been fortunate to be on some good teams and go on some good runs," Perry said. "I’ve been blessed to play with some good players, and we’ve had some deep runs. It’s been disappointing, five of the last six years, but we’ll try to right that ship."

The Lightning (38-18-4) are tied for first in the Atlantic Division with the Buffalo Sabres, three points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings. Tampa Bay visits the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, NHLN, The Spot).

The Kings (25-22-14) are fifth in the Pacific Division, three points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.

On Thursday, the Kings traded forward Warren Foegele and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 draft to the Ottawa Senators for a second-round pick and a conditional third-round pick in 2026.