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The Corey Perry era may be over in Anaheim |
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When Corey Perry signed his mega-extension back in 2013 it was believed he was destined to be an Anaheim Duck for life. And why not? He was only a couple seasons removed from "Rocket" Richard and Hart Trophy win. He was a 50 goal scorer and nuisance to anybody not wearing an Anaheim sweater. But, time has a way of catching up with a player, and it appears Perry's time in Anaheim is coming to an end.
According to several reports, the Ducks will either attempt to trade or simply buyout the 34-year-old if no suitors come forward.
If the Ducks are serious about returning to their perennial playoff form than this is this only option for Bob Murray. When the Ducks signed captain Ryan Getzlaf and Perry to matching eight-year contract extensions worth $69 million each six seasons ago, it was only a matter of time before they would live to regret it.
Perry has been anything but productive over the last several seasons. Since scoring 25 or more goals from 2007 to 2016, Perry has failed to score more than 20 in each of the last three seasons. Injuries have played a major role in his decline. He's scored a grand total of 46 goals in the last three seasons and only managed 10 points (6g 4a) in 31 games in all of 2018-19.
You may have heard that time heals all wounds. That's not always true. Not when you're an aging and lumbering veteran hockey player trying to hang on in a faster, more up-tempo league. In this case, time makes these things worse, not better.
With a full no-movement clause and an $8.625 million salary-cap hit, Perry's contract is probably impossible to move. What halfway decent GM is going to risk his job for this kind of albatross? If Anaheim pulls off a miracle and does find a trade partner, they can retain up to half of Perry's ridiculous salary. They would also have to make a few other moves, that may include losing one of their younger, more promising players just to make this happen. I don't want to spoil the ending for you... but this ain't happening.
The Ducks best option is to buyout Perry and never look back. Thank him for his service and move forward with constructing a roster best suited to keep pace and compete in the modern NHL. With any luck, this is the first of many big moves by the Ducks this summer.
Don't forget the suntan lotion. This summer is going to be a hot one.
Thank for reading,
Steve
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • 
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