Oilers’ Corey Perry not retiring; intends to play in 2025-26
The Worm is sticking around for another season.
Corey Perry spoke during the Stanley Cup Final Media Day on Tuesday, and mentioned that not only was retirement not a consideration last summer, it also won’t be this summer either, as he intends to play in the 2025-26 season.
Corey Perry says he's never seriously thought about retiring and he won't be doing that this summer. He intends to play a 21st NHL season in 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/UZG3ujcLQ1
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 3, 2025While Perry wasn’t expected to retire after this season, at 40 years old, it will always be a question until he signs a contract for the next season. He’s currently signed to a one-year, $1.15 million contract, and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
At this point in time, it’s unclear if the Edmonton Oilers will re-sign Perry. If he doesn’t, it likely won’t be due to performance, but likely whether or not Perry would want to play elsewhere, or if the Oilers can’t afford him.
Perry has certainly not been playing like a man who is 40, as he’s had a strong showing in the playoffs with the Oilers with 7 goals and 3 assists for 10 points in 16 games. Despite his age, his goal total is actually the third-highest total in the playoffs of his career, with his highest being the 10 he scored during the Anaheim Ducks‘ run to the Western Conference Final in 2015, so it’s still possible that he surpasses that total in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers.
Perry also had a solid regular season with the Oilers, at least by the standards of the current stage of his career. In 81 games, he had 19 goals and 11 assists for 30 points, just the second time he’s hit the 30 point mark since 2017-18.
The 2025-26 season will be the 21st of Perry’s storied career, one that has seen him amass 448 goals and 487 assists for 935 points in 1,392 games for the Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers.
Perry also has 61 goals and 76 assists for 137 points in 231 games, with his games total being the seventh-most all-time with the possibility of moving up to third all-time if this series goes seven games. He’s missed the playoffs just three times in his career.
Perry has won one Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, along with a Hart Memorial Trophy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2011.
Perry will look to start the final step to capturing his second Stanley Cup when the Oilers host the Panthers for Game 1 of the Cup Final on Wednesday at 6 p.m. MST.