In the recent episode of the Kyper & Bourne Show on Sportsnet, Nick Kypreos dove into the circumstances surrounding Corey Perry‘s signing with the Edmonton Oilers, providing insights into what other teams might have been thinking. Among those unsure were the Toronto Maple Leafs. Suggesting the Oilers were one of the few teams not overly concerned about Perry’s “incident” in Chicago, the Maple Leafs were not on the same page as Edmonton. While the Leafs did hold an initial conversation, it didn’t go very far because there concerns were too high to seriously considering signing him.
Kypreos revealed that there was limited enthusiasm on the part of the Maple Leafs. This was mostly because of lingering worries that whatever happened that led the Blackhawks to terminate Perry’s contract, could, ultimately, pop up again later in the season. As Oilers’ GM Ken Holland acknowledged, there wasn’t a ton of detail provided about what took place, and that was problematic for some teams, including Toronto.
As such, the Leafs chose to walk away early on in the process, as did other teams who showed initial interest.
Kypreos Said Perry’s Options Were Limited
In contrast to other reports, including comments from Holland and Perry himself, Kypreos is claiming that veteran forward and past Hart Trophy winner didn’t have a lot of teams to choose from as more clubs bowed out than stayed in the running. He says the lack of immediate interest from numerous teams became evident and the Oilers emerged as one of the few showing immediate interest. That could explain why Perry came in at such a cost-effective number.
Kypreos highlighted the Oilers’ calculated risk in signing Perry, particularly given their previous similar gamble on Evander Kane. He’s not wrong in that regard as the Oilers have traditionally been a team willing to offer second chances. The Oilers, seemingly less apprehensive than other teams, secured Perry on a deal that could turn out to be a huge winner.
In a way, Frank Seravalli corroborated the Kypreos narrative. The NHL insider indicated that a few teams, including the LA Kings, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning, engaged in discussions with Perry but were hesitant to fully commit. Toronto also had conversations, but talks did not progress significantly. With too much uncertainty, they chose to walk away early.
That decision by Toronto could turn out to be a mistake. Time will tell.