Blackhawks purchase Corey Perry from Lightning, including extra expertise to Bedard-led rebuild

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Chicago Blackhawks continued surrounding their youth-laden and Connor Bedard-headed rebuild with one more skilled veteran by buying ahead Corey Perry in a commerce with Tampa Bay on Thursday.

The Blackhawks gave up a seventh-round decide in subsequent 12 months’s draft to accumulate the 18-year participant with the idea they’ll signal Perry, who’s eligible to turn into an unrestricted free agent on Saturday.

The 38-year-old Perry joins his fourth crew in 5 years after spending his first 14 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. He gained the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 and has reached the Cup Final thrice previously 4 years, and misplaced every time with Dallas (2020), Montreal (2021) and Tampa Bay (2022).

Perry was the NHL’s scoring chief with 50 objectives in 2010-11, and continues to be productive offensively regardless of enjoying extra of a secondary function in his latter years. He mixed for 31 objectives and 65 factors in 163 video games over the previous two seasons in Tampa Bay.

The commerce was accomplished in the course of the second day of the NHL draft being held in Nashville, Tennessee, the place the Blackhawks opened by choosing Bedard with the No. 1 decide. The 17-year-old from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is thought to be a generational expertise and drawn comparisons to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid.

Earlier within the day, Chicago acquired ahead Josh Bailey and a 2026 second-round decide from the New York Islanders in trade for future concerns. Bailey had eight objectives and 25 assists in 64 video games this previous season. The Islanders will clear $5 million in cap area, transferring the 15-year veteran who was their longest tenured participant final season.