Subj : Reliving Corey Perrys Winning Journey
To : All
From : The Hockey Writers - Main
Date : Sun Sep 27 2020 04:40 am
It takes skill, luck, devotion, time and many other ingredients to play
professional hockey. To reach the NHL takes even more. Winning the Stanley Cup
requires so much to go right that the majority of NHL players in history have
never done it. With all that in mind, imagine winning seven championships and
not just Stanley Cup titles, but a Stanley Cup, a Memorial Cup, a World Cup and
four gold medals. That doesn';t seem possible, yet former Anaheim Duck Corey
Perry did it.Corey Perry';s resume sports more NHL and international successes
than almost any other player in NHL history. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Though Perry is a Dallas Star now, let';s relive his path to becoming one of
the winningest players in professional hockey history.Perry Wins His First,
Team Canada Wins No. 11
Perry';s first taste of winning a major title came with Team Canada at the 2005
World Junior Championships in North Dakota and Minnesota. Following Canada';s
heartbreaking loss to the United States in the gold-medal game the preceding
year, a lot was riding on the young Canadians in 2005. The same was true for
Perry heading into camp since he';d been cut the year before.Related: NHL
Owners - Who Are They?
For all the pressure heaped upon Perry and his Canadian teammates, one look at
the roster showed winning the gold medal was almost a foregone conclusion.
Canada's roster bristled with future All-Stars and potential Hall of Famers,
including Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, Brent Seabrook, Jeff
Carter, Mike Richards and Perry';s future teammate Ryan Getzlaf.�
Canada scored at least seven goals in every preliminary round matchup and
pounded both Finland and Sweden 8-1.
Canada';s path in the medal round wasn';t quite so easy at first when they
defeated the Czech Republic 3-1 to advance to the final. But, in the final,
Perry and his teammates shined against a Russian team that had perhaps the next
two best players in the world at their age after Crosby in Alexander Ovechkin
and Evgeni Malkin.Ducks forward Corey Perry recorded no points and a -3 rating
in game one. (BridgetDS/flickr)
Canada jumped out to an early 2-1 lead before pulling away in the second period
with four goals to win 6-1. Perry contributed only an assist in the gold-medal
game, on a goal by Bergeron. That went with his two goals and six other
assists for seven points in the tournament.�
The World Juniors brought together Perry and Getzlaf, forging a friendship and
creating a chemistry that pushed the Ducks to a title just over two years
later.Perry';s Championship Pedigree Continues With London Knights
Statistical success came quickly for Perry at the start of his major junior
career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights. Chosen No. 5
overall in the 2001 OHL priority draft, he notched 59 goals in 60
regular-season games as a rookie.�
The Knights, a perennial contender during Perry';s time there, steadily
improved until reaching juggernaut status in 2004-05. The team, which also
featured future NHLers Dave Bolland, Brandon Prust and Dan Girardi, compiled a
regular-season record of 59-2-7 behind Perry';s 47 goals and 83 assists.
Many of Perry';s opponents called his Knights the best team they';d ever
played.�
Former teammate Bobby Ryan, who had played against the Knights with the Owen
Sound Attach told the media,
"There';d be times when you wouldn';t touch the puck for four or five minutes.
It was extremely frustrating. I think we were the only team that beat them in
regulation. They';re the best team I ever played against."(From 'Ducks'; Perry
leaves no doubt at Olympics';�The Orange County Register,�2/20/2010).
The Knights tore through the OHL playoffs losing a mere two games on the way to
the J. Robertson Cup. They would repeat that dominance against a field of
teams with some very�well-known�names.�Memorial Cup Magic
The Knights'; opponents included Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, who featured
none other than Crosby. The Knights also faced Shea Weber';s Kelowna Rockets of
the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the team they had defeated in the OHL
finals, the Ottawa 67';s. Since they were the host team, the Knights had an
automatic bid, allowing the 67';s to qualify.
Perry did not disappoint, scoring four goals and adding three assists in three
games. That included a third-period, game-tying goal in the Knights'; 4-3
overtime victory over Rimouski - a game that saw the Knights come back from a
two-goal deficit.
The Knights defeated the Rockets 4-2 on two goals from Perry and then took down
the 67';s again 5-2 with Perry contributing another goal. He added his seventh
and final point, assisting in the Knights 4-0 victory in the Championship game
over Crosby';s Oceanic.
May 29th, 2005: Memorial Cup Champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/1AWgY2Je9o- London
Knights (@LondonKnights) May 29, 2020
Perry finished the tournament second in goals and fifth in points behind Crosby
and three of his Rimouski teammates who benefited greatly from their time on
ice with the once-in-a-generation forward.
It would be his second title - his first was the World Junior Championship he
won with Canada a few months prior. He also won the Stafford Smythe Trophy as
the Memorial Cup';s most valuable player.Perry and the Ducks Make Stanley Cup
HistoryPerry';s most�well-known�accomplishment, along with the Ducks', is their
2007 Stanley Cup title. The first Cup won by a California team came in his
second season in the NHL. Corey Perry';s early success in Anaheim came raised
expectations that he met immediately. (The Hockey Writers)
After the Ducks drafted him No. 28 overall in the legendary 2003 draft, he
continued his dominance at the major junior and AHL level until making his NHL
debut in 2005-06.�
The Ducks had finally managed their first taste of sustained success, making
the playoffs two of the prior three seasons, including a Stanley Cup Final
appearance in 2002-03. Scott Niedermayer was entering his second season in
Anaheim, and Chris Pronger had just arrived in a trade from the Edmonton
Oilers.�Related: One for the Ages - Ray Whitney';s 2011-12 NHL Season
The season started productively for Perry, who contributed 10 points in his
first 12 games. In that time, the Ducks didn't lose in regulation, going 9-0-3.
By season's end, the Ducks had won their division and qualified as the second
seed in the Western Conference. Perry had flirted with doubling the output of
his rookie year with 44 points.�
Part of that success came from his remarkable chemistry with linemates Getzlaf
and Dustin Penner, making up the "Kid Line." The Kid line would have an even
more significant impact in the playoffs.Perry and Kid Line Push Ducks to Title
The playoffs started slowly for Perry, who managed just one assist in the first
four games. Luckily for Anaheim, he got better as they ventured deeper into
the postseason. His first career playoff goal came in the Ducks';
series-clinching game against the Minnesota Wild.
He achieved his first multi-point playoff game the next round in Game 3 versus
the Vancouver Canucks, scoring the game-winner in the third period and adding
an assist.
It got even better as he scored 10 of his 15 points in the final two rounds,
and 5 of those 10 in the last three games of the Stanley Cup Final.�
Perry';s final goal of the 2006-07 playoffs, was the final goal of the 2006-07
playoffs, an insurance goal to bring the score to 6-2 in the Ducks' Stanley
Cup-clinching Game 5 victory.
When it was all said and done, Perry ended the 2006-07 playoffs tied for second
in Ducks scoring with Teemu Selanne and Chris Pronger in only his second NHL
season. His linemate and friend, Getzlaf, finished first.�
Interestingly, the only other player to achieve the success that Perry did,
Scott Niedermayer, won the Conn Smythe.
The kid line of Perry, Getzlaf and Penner combined for 38 playoff points to
help bring the Ducks their first Stanley Cup title.Golden Duck
Perry, much like Niedermayer - the only other player to win a Stanley Cup,
Olympic gold medal, World Junior gold medal, World Championship gold medal,
Memorial Cup and World Cup - has won two Olympic golds.
They came in consecutive Olympic tournaments in 2010 and 2014.
In 2010, Perry tied Dany Heatley and Crosby for second on the Olympic team with
four goals. He added an assist to finish the Olympics with five points, but
his most significant contribution came in the gold-medal game against Team USA.
He scored Canada';s second goal off a pass from Getzlaf that deflected off
another Ducks teammate, Team USA defender Ryan Whitney.
Of Perry';s five points, all but one�came in combination with Getzlaf. The 2014
Olympics�transpired somewhat differently for him, but the result was the same,
another gold medal.2014 Encore Domination
For Perry';s part, he wasn';t sure he';d make the team and missed the phone
call telling him of the good news as he told the Peterborough Examiner at the
time.�
"It';s pretty funny because when they called, I was still in bed because it';s
California, and they were calling from the Eastern time zone," he said. "It was
a quarter to seven in the morning my time. Ken Holland left me a message
saying, 'Congratulations, you';ve been elected to the team, and we';re happy to
have you.'; That was pretty much it. I got up about 7:30 and heard the message
and me and my girlfriend were pretty excited to be a part of it again. Any
time you get to represent your country, it';s a pretty cool feeling."(From
'Corey Perry hopes for more memorable moments in Sochi';�Peterborough
Examiner,�2/08/2014).
There was also the question of locale. In 2014, the games were played in Sochi,
Russia, on a different continent, let alone a different time zone. Perry had
experienced this before, but few had experienced the headlines about the
accommodations, which at the dawn of the games were lacking. Hotels weren';t
finished, toilets in odd places.�
By the time the team arrived, however, they were ready to play.
Though Perry only registered an assist in the 2014 games, he was part of one of
the most dominant performances in Olympic history. He and Canada skated to six
wins, one in overtime while allowing a stingy three goals in all six games
combined.�
Corey Perry and Jamie Benn were linemates during the 2014 Sochi Olympics when
Team Canada won gold. Get to know the former league MVP and newest Star a
little better.
https://t.co/Xac9hkPgix- x-Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 16,
2019
This domination came against the best in the world, with NHL players allowed to
play in 2014. In the semifinals, they shutout Team USA, who had combined for
20 goals scored in the preliminary round and quarterfinal, 1-0. Their goal
differential led the tournament in the prelims at plus-11, and Team Canada shut
them out.�
In the finals, they blanked the other powerhouse, Sweden, 3-0 to win the
gold.�The Best Team Ever Assembled
Like many of Perry';s teams, from his 2005 World Junior team and London
Knights, the 2014 Canadian Olympic team is considered one of the best ever
assembled.�
Of the team';s performance, Perry said,�
"Once you come back here and you sit back, and you look at what we really did,
it';s a tremendous feeling. It';s a tremendous feat in itself to give up three
goals in six games against guys you play with and play against every single
day."(From 'Getzlaf, Perry now part of Team Canada lore';�The Orange County
Register,�2/26/2014).
It would be the last time NHL players were allowed to participate in the
Olympics until perhaps the�next winter Olympic games in 2022.World Championship
Wonder
Perry';s World Championship was his sixth and his first to come as captain of
Team Canada. Canada was looking to repeat as champions after winning their
first title in 11 years in 2015.�
During his time with the Ducks, Perry was at the height of his abilities. He
had scored 34 goals in Anaheim as the Ducks were expected to be a Cup
contender. That was before they were dispatched in the first round of the
Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven games by the Nashville Predators.�
As a result, Perry was available to play in the World Championships, and he did
not disappoint.�With the Ducks'; early exit from the playoffs, Corey Perry
suddenly had an open schedule to captain Team Canada at the 2016 World
Championships. (The Hockey Writers)
He scored 9 points in 10 games, including 4 goals as Team Canada won their
second World Championship in as many years.Perry Joins the Most Elite Company
Perry';s final step to joining Niedermayer in their elite club meant winning
the World Cup of Hockey. It';s a feat that is surprisingly difficult to achieve
even for Team Canada, considering the World Cup isn';t held consistently.�In
2016, he didn';t make the team until Jeff Carter sustained an injury during
offseason training.�Related: Remembering Viktor Tikhonov - A Hockey Legend
Still, Perry and Team Canada';s path was arguably more difficult than in any
other tournament. Since the NHL and the NHL Players association put on the
event, not the IIHF, the teams didn';t strictly have to be determined by
nationality. Though Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland and Russia all had
their pick of the best players their countries had to offer from the NHL and
elsewhere, Canada and the US had their best 23-and-under players poached for
the North American team.
That included Perry';s fellow Duck teammate John Gibson and future stars Jack
Eichel, Johnny Gaudreau, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, and Connor
McDavid.�John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Meanwhile, a team made of players from European nations that didn't have their
own country already in the tournament distilled the talent even further.�
He scored twice for Canada in the World Cup. Both goals came in classic Perry
fashion, directly in front of the net. His goal against Team USA resulted from
a deflection off his thigh while crashing the net. The Russia goal came off a
rebound that Perry calmly threaded between his own legs and roofed over Sergei
Bobrovsky.�
Perry finally achieved his improbable feat with Team Canada';s consecutive wins
over Team Europe in the final series. With the win, he secured a World Cup,
the final trophy needed to match Niedermayer.�What to Do With All That
Hardware?
Before the semifinal against Russia,�Perry joked about all of his hardware.
"I don';t travel with them," Perry deadpanned as Team Canada prepared for its
semifinal game against Russia in the World Cup of Hockey. "I don';t know what
I';m going to do with them. We';ll figure something out when I';m done
playing."
Perry';s long and storied career has come with success that has only been
matched or exceeded by Niedermayer, a teammate of his on the 2007 Stanley
Cup-winning Ducks team. Niedermayer';s trophy case is even more impressive.
While he has won as many gold medals in international competition (along with a
silver in his first World Cup of Hockey), the Canadian defenseman won a
staggering four Stanley Cups. Three came with New Jersey and the last came with
Anaheim.�Scott Niedermayer, pictured here next to Mark Recchi before his
jersey retirement ceremony with the WHL';s Kamloops Blazers, has as many
international victories as Perry, but three more Cup titles. (AP Photo/Mark J.
Terrill)
Still, Perry';s winning record, both in the NHL and internationally, speaks for
itself. Add to that his Hart and Maurice Richard Trophies and his resume is
even more impressive. Though he';s probably on the bubble for Hall of Fame
consideration, his international record may garner him a few more points. Once
his time in the NHL is up, he is sure to have his number retired by the Ducks,
a fitting honor for one of the winningest players in Ducks history.
All stats from hockey-reference.com and eliteprospects.com
The post Reliving Corey Perry';s Winning Journey appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.
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