The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired veteran winger Corey Perry from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round draft pick.
Perry will rejoin the Lightning, having previously spent two seasons with the Lightning during the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 seasons. In his time with the Lightning, Perry scored 31 goals and 65 points in 163 regular-season games.
Perry was also part of the Lightning roster that lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals. In that run, he notched six goals and 11 points in 23 games.
Since leaving the Anaheim Ducks, Perry has been to the Stanley Cup finals five times in six seasons, but has lost each time. In his most recent Cup run with the Edmonton Oilers, the 40-year-old scored 10 goals and 14 points in 22 games.
This season, the 6-foot-3, former 28th overall pick in the 2003 NHL draft has recorded 11 goals and 28 points in 50 games.
The Lightning are currently tied for first place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points. Perry will add offensive balance to their lineup as well as additional veteran leadership and experience. Perry owns a $2-million cap hit that expires at the end of the season.
As for the Kings, they continue to move off pending UFAs while still hoping to earn a playoff spot. They made a big move to acquire Artemi Panarin, but they currently sit three points out of a playoff spot while tied with two other teams in the Western Conference wild card race.