"We got Corey Perry": Oilers not worried about Panthers' pests
The Edmonton Oilers are prepping for a Stanley Cup Final series against the Florida Panthers that gets going this weekend.
This Oilers team will have to prepare for the number of players on the Panthers that like to get under the skin of opposing players. With a lineup that boasts Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Nick Cousins, there is bound to be plenty of extracurricular activity after every whistle.
When asked how the Oilers would handle this, Adam Henrique laughed and looked over to the other teammate beside him at the podium. This prompted a sly smile from Perry, who looked over at Henrique and asked why he was laughing.
“We got Corey Perry,” Henrique said to laughter.
"There’s plenty of work to be done for the group in here."
Henrique & Perry reflect on their Stanley Cup Final experience & on getting ready to face the Panthers.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/khg0wo2JD9
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 4, 2024
The 39-year-old Perry has indeed built a reputation as one of the most annoying players to play against in the NHL. His rap sheet is full of moments where he has gotten creative in getting under opponents’ skin. For him, he welcomes the other team to try to get under his skin.
“That’s kind of the way I’ve played my whole career,” Perry told reporters this morning. “It’s just who I am to be effective and how I’ve stayed in the league for so long.
“It’s going to be a fun series… I look forward to it.”
This won’t be the first time Perry will meet Tkachuk and Bennett in the playoffs. He played against that duo while a member of the Anaheim Ducks during a series with the Calgary Flames in 2017. Perry and the Ducks wound up sweeping that team in the first round.
Perry isn’t the only player tasked with getting under the skin of Florida’s top players in the final. Evander Kane has been excellent at doing just that throughout his career as well and had a series-long dust-up with Vancouver Canucks defenceman Nikita Zadorov in the second round.
Kane was also essential in getting Tkachuk off his game during the 2022 playoffs when the Oilers eliminated the Flames in five games.
With the intensity of the series and the stakes being as high as ever for both teams, fans can expect at least some fireworks after every whistle.