The Los Angeles Kings were very active during NHL Free Agency. They hope that the signings they made will help them compete for a Stanley Cup this year. Unfortunately, they will be without new signing Corey Perry for the beginning of the season due to injury.
Perry signed a one-year contract with the Kings this summer. He spent parts of two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, who were managed by current Los Angeles general manager Ken Holland. The familiarity there made the connection in free agency quite obvious.
The 40-year-old forward can still provide quality depth, of course. And he has a ton of experience in the Stanley Cup Final. Perry is not expected to play high in the Los Angeles lineup. But he is expected to help this team as a leader and a bottom-six depth piece.
On Friday, reports emerged that Perry had picked up an injury. John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor was the first to report the injury. It was then corraborated by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who said an official update may not come until closer to camp.
However, the Kings released an official update on Perry’s injury on Saturday morning. “Corey Perry was injured during a training skate on Friday, September 12. Perry underwent successful knee surgery and will be out 6-8 weeks,” the Kings said in a brief update on social media.
More Details On Corey Perry’s Injury
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesCorey Perry suffered an injury during practice with the Los Angeles Kings on Friday.
Details about what happened to Perry were limited when the news first broke. What we do know is that the incident happened during a play in practice. Perry needed to be helped off the ice after he went down.
“Mayor’s Manor has confirmed through multiple sources that the play in question appeared to take place along the boards, and it wasn’t immediately clear if he went down as the result of catching a rut on the ice or if it was a result of contact from another player. Eventually, Perry was said to be taken off the ice in a wheelchair for further medical evaluation,” Hoven wrote on Friday.
Unfortunately, the injury was a significant one. Perry will miss most of the first month of the 2025-26 season, if not the entire month. And the Kings will need to move forward without one of their more experienced options in the lineup.
Kings Players Who Can Fill Perry’s Role
Perry was expected to play on the fourth line alongside Samuel Helenius and fellow free-agent signing Joel Armia. Both Helenius and Armia will need to step up themselves to keep the fourth line running along. However, there are players on this Kings roster who can directly fill Perry’s role.
One potential option is Akil Thomas. The 25-year-old can play on the wing or down the middle, so he gives coach Jim Hiller different lineup options. He has held his own in limited game time. He could provide cover for this first month.
Another option is Alex Turcotte. Turcotte is a former fifth-overall pick that the Kings believed had high potential. He is coming off a career-best offensive season, scoring nine goals and 25 points in 68 games. He could certainly stand in until Perry is able to return.
The Kings see a full-time role for Perry in this lineup. This injury is certainly a setback, but it’s something they can withstand. Los Angeles begins its 2025-26 regular season on October 7th against the Colorado Avalanche.
Kings Release Official Corey Perry Injury Timeline Update