Corey Perry agrees to terms on a one-year contract worth up to $3.5 million with the Los Angeles Kings.

Dom Luszczyszyn: Congratulations to the Los Angeles Kings on making the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

That’s the deal with Corey Perry, who made it to the final in 2020 with the Dallas Stars, 2021 with the Montreal Canadiens, 2022 with the Tampa Bay Lightning and over the last two years with the Edmonton Oilers. Sure, his teams somehow lost each time, but the Kings will gladly take a trip that far after four straight first-round exits.

It’s hard to say when the wheels will finally fall off for Perry, who is now 40 years old, but if last season is any indication, he’s still got some juice. Perry scored 19 goals in a fourth-line role, then upped the ante in the playoffs with 10 goals in 22 games. When Zach Hyman was injured, Perry stepped up onto Connor McDavid’s wing — and didn’t look out of place doing so.

It may be weird at first for some Kings fans to envision Perry on the same team as Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. But Perry can still do the little things and the hard things that make him a quality play-driver who works extremely well in the bottom six. He should be a fantastic fit for the Kings for that reason and makes them a tougher team to play against in the playoffs.

That all depends, of course, on what 40-year-old Perry looks like compared to 39-year-old Perry. This is an age that very few NHLers get to, and a steep drop-off is more than possible, even for Perry. You have it until you don’t, and that’s the risk that comes with this signing.

The Kings have a lot of money to work with and have a mostly set roster with only Alex Laferriere to sign. For that reason, they can splurge on a playoff-caliber guy and take that risk with ease. If Perry hits his max bonuses, he will come in at $3.5 million. That’s a little pricey due to Perry’s age. Something closer to $2 million would be safer. But the Kings are at a point where they can afford the luxury price in order to fill the need.

Perry isn’t a needle-mover on his own to get the Kings over the hump and deeper into the playoffs; they need more help than that. But it isn’t a complete coincidence that his teams have been able to go to the final so frequently.

He’s a playoff warrior and exactly the type of player the Kings need.

Fit grade: A
Contract grade: B

(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)