Oilers Veteran Forward Has No Plans to Retire

The 2024-25 season will not be the last for a key Edmonton Oilers veteran forward.

Apr 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers right wing Corey Perry (90) warms up for game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry is one of the NHL’s oldest players after recently turning 40 years old. Despite his age, the Oilers forward says he has no plans to retire after the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

The rematch between the Oilers and Florida Panthers will be Perry’s fifth Stanley Cup Final appearance in the last six years, but he claims to still have a lot left in the tank. Perry told reporters at Stanley Cup Media Day that he intends to continue playing in 2025-26 for his 21st NHL season.

"This is why I'm still playing, to have him get an opportunity to feel & touch the Stanley Cup."

Corey Perry is joined by his son Griffin as the #Oilers participated in Stanley Cup Final Media Day.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/LIqRtzBe8s

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 3, 2025

With his son Griffin by his side, Perry said that he has never put any thought towards retirement. Even Griffin shook his head no.

“Not really no,” Perry said. “It’s just not in me to think about it. There’s other things that I love doing. I love playing, I love being around the room. I don’t think that’s going to be in my head any time soon either. It’s just who I am.”

With a plan to return for the 2025-26 season, Perry will need to find a new contract somewhere. He signed a one-year deal with the Oilers worth $1.15 million ahead of the 2024-25 season.

In 81 regular season games played this past season, Perry picked up 19 goals and 11 assists for 30 points. In 16 playoff games to this point, Perry has been a key in the Oilers’ lineup with seven goals and 10 total points.

Perry started his career during the 2005-06 season after being a first-round draft pick (28th overall) of the Anaheim Ducks in 2003. He went on to win a Cup with the Ducks in just his second season and has put up Hall of Fame level numbers in his 20 year in the NHL.

In 1,392 career games played, Perry has 448 goals and 487 assists for 935 points. In 1010-11, he led the NHL with 50 goals, securing the Rocket Richard Trophy and the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.

Perry says he still has a lot of gas left in the tank, and this Stanley Cup Final round will not be his last dance in the NHL.

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