Edmonton Oilers are reportedly nearing a deal with free agent Corey Perry

It looks like the Edmonton Oilers and free agent forward Corey Perry are nearing a contract.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on Sunday morning that traction was being made between the two sides and he added shortly after that a deal had been reached and an announcement would come later in the day.

Perry inked a one-year, $4 million deal in the off-season with the Chicago Blackhawks but had his contract terminated in late November after an alleged “alcohol-fueled incident.” The Blackhawks claimed in a statement following the transaction that Perry was “in violation of his Standard Playing Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments.”

Following the incident, Perry apologized by saying, “I would like to sincerely apologize to the entire Chicago Blackhawks organization, including ownership, management, coaches, trainers, employees, and my teammates. I would also like to apologize to my fans, and my family. I am embarrassed and have let you all down.”

In January, Perry met with National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss his recovery from struggles with alcohol and it was determined that he is eligible to return to the league if he finds a contract as a free agent, though he was never technically banned from doing so in the first place.

Now 38 years old, Perry will be joining an organization that he faced many times during his 14 seasons as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

Selected in the first round of the 2003 draft by the Ducks, Perry broke into the NHL in 2005-06 and helped the team win their first-ever Stanley Cup the following season. He led the league in goals in 2010-11 and won the Hart Trophy for the league’s most valuable player. Perry scored 372 goals and 776 points over 988 games for the Ducks before the team opted to buy out the final few years of an eight-year, $69 million contract he signed in March of 2013.

He joined the Dallas Stars as a free agent for the 2019-20 season and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final during the summer bubble playoffs in Edmonton. The following off-season, Perry inked a one-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens and was again part of a deep playoff push, as the Habs made a shocking run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. After the year in Montreal, Perry played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he scored 31 goals and 65 points over 163 games.

For the Oilers, Perry fulfills one of the team’s needs ahead of the trade deadline: a veteran right-handed winger for the bottom-six who can score goals. If Dylan Holloway can be the third- or fourth-line centre the Oilers covet, they can focus their salary cap room and trade resources on adding to their blueline and finding a goaltender to play in tandem with Stuart Skinner.