The ageless wonder.

What Corey Perry did this season for the Oilers was nothing short of remarkable given his age, his $1.15-million contract and the fact that the expectations weren’t very high for him. He put up 19 goals and 30 points in the regular season, adding another 10 goals and 14 points in the playoffs. He played up and down the Oilers lineup and on the power play, putting up 1.18 goals per hour rate in all situations, his highest rate since 2015-16 when he was 30 years old.

Perry’s five-on-five offence dipped during the playoffs, but five of the 10 goals he scored came on the power play — a mark that led all Oilers players. He remained a force all through the playoffs, including in the Stanley Cup Final where he scored three goals and four points.

And while the Oilers were wanting to bring Perry back for a third season, he chose otherwise, taking his talents back to Southern California to sign with Ken Holland’s Los Angeles Kings. Perry will make a $2-million base salary next season and up to an additional $2-million in performance bonus’ — $500,000 for 10 games played, $250,000 at 20, 30, 40 and 50 games played, as well as others for playoff series wins, according to PuckPedia.

That’s a contract and bonus structure simply too rich for the Oilers’ blood, and it makes sense why Edmonton were comfortable in letting him walk. But there’s no denying the team will miss him. Perry’s versatility within the lineup was a boon for the coaching staff and there’s no denying the veteran presence and leadership that he was able to provide.

But nowadays, that’s not something the team needs to go out of their way to find. The core of this team have been around long enough — and through enough — that they can carry this team.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.