The Tampa Bay Lightning are reuniting with a familiar face after pulling off a trade before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Lightning are one of the top teams in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference, and they are considered one of the top Stanley Cup contenders. Despite having very few top draft picks and salary cap space, the team needed some offensive additions.
They found that in winger Corey Perry. Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that the Lightning sent a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings for Perry. This marks his second stint in Tampa Bay after spending the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 campaigns there. The 40-year-old winger is one of the most accomplished active players in the NHL, with one Stanley Cup and 963 points in 1,442 games.
2nd rounder in return
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 6, 2026
Perry Gets Another Shot at Stanley Cup
Despite having over 1,400 NHL regular-season and 237 postseason contests in his career, it’s been nearly two decades since the storied veteran lifted the Stanley Cup. He’s come extremely close multiple times since, but now he receives another opportunity with his trade to Tampa Bay.
He joined the Kings this past offseason with high hopes. The organization had ambitions of being a Stanley Cup contender, but their summer additions never clicked. Perry was arguably their best addition, with 11 goals and 28 points in 50 contests.
Now, he brings that physicality and net-front presence back to Tampa. He’ll boost their power play and bottom-six lines, and it only increases the team’s chances of winning the East.
Jan 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Kings right wing Corey Perry (10) in action against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Tampa Continues to Disregard Draft Picks
The Lightning have made one thing clear over the years of their championship pursuits: they do not care about draft picks. To their credit, it’s a strategy that has largely worked out. When they won their back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, they parted with first-round picks to bring in key players like Blake Coleman.
That’s the case once again for the Lightning. After this deal with the Kings, the Lightning won’t pick until the third round of the 2026 NHL Draft. Not only that, but they have also already parted with their 2027 first-round pick, as they sent that to the Seattle Kraken as part of their deal for Oliver Bjorkstrand.
The results don’t lie. The Lightning have been a championship contender for the better part of a decade. Utilizing this approach, they’ve acquired proven talent and maintained one of the NHL’s top franchises. They are hoping that method pays off once more during this postseason run.
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