For the second consecutive trade deadline it appears that general manager Julien BriseBois is bringing a player back into the organization. Last year it was Yanni Gourde. This year it’s Corey Perry.
The rumored cost is a second-round pick. Which, based on some of the other deals made over the last 24 hours seems to be about right. What was once thought to be a buyer’s market has decidedly swung in the opposite direction.
[Update: The Lightning have confirmed the trade and it’s for a 2028 second-round pick.]
On the surface, a second-round pick seems to be a steep price to pay for a fourth-line winger at the end of his career, but the market is dictating that at this point. Compare Perry to Michael McCarron who also went for a second-round pick.
So, thanks Bill Guerin? Perry might not be lighting it up, but at least he hasn’t been a drain on his team’s offense.
The 40-year-old forward is having a solid season with the Los Angeles Kings having recorded 11 goals and 17 assists in 50 games. After a 19-goal season with Edmonton in 2024-25, Perry signed a one-year, incentive-leaden, $2 million contract with the Kings. He has already earned the majority of his performance bonuses (which were based on games played). The Bolts will be on the hook for a $125,000 bonus with a round one victory. If they win in the second round, he gets another $250,000. Should they make the Stanley Cup Final, that’s another $125,000 in his bank account.
Looking through the Julien BriseBois lens, how does this deal rate?
Does it help the Lightning right now?
In the sense that they now have twelve healthy forwards on the roster, yes. Is he an upgrade over Curtis Douglas? Yes. The Kings have posted positive possession numbers while he’s on the ice (53.16% XGF, 55.17% HDCF, and 51.49% SCF). It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the second power play unit. Four of his goals this season have come with the extra skater, and he’ll give that unit a right-handed shot.
Everyone knows what they’re getting with Perry. He’s a pest. He’ll cause some chaos in front of the opponent’s net, but struggle in his own zone.
Mr. BriseBois is choosing to go with a known entity as he adds depth to the roster. Will it put them over the top? Probably not, but they did get incrementally better.
Does it help them in the future?
Not really. Perry is an unrestricted free agent next season and the Lightning sacrificed a relatively useful pick. Will he re-sign with the Lightning this summer? It’s a possibility. He’s been a 30-point player in a fourth-line role for the last two seasons and is sitting at 963 career points. Could he get to 1,000 points by next season? It’s possible.
Is this a great move? No. Does it crack Julien BriseBois’ top five worst trades? Well, we’ll have to wait to see how things play out before we can make that judgement. At the very least, we can start hawking this shirt again.
