MONTREAL -- Winner of the Stanley Cup and the Hart and Maurice Richard trophies, Corey Perry has accomplished a great deal over the course of his 15-year NHL career. After signing with the Canadiens this week, he now gets to check "Play for your favorite childhood team" off his hockey bucket list.
The veteran forward addressed the media for the first time as a Hab via Zoom on Tuesday; read on for highlights of what he had to say.
On choosing to sign with the Canadiens:
"You look at the moves Marc Bergevin brought in in [Josh] Anderson, [Joel] Edmundson, [Tyler] Toffoli, then you've got the young guys, you have some older guys, and you have one of the best goalies in the world in Carey Price. All those tangibles, putting the pieces together, and I hope I can come in and help this team and go on and try to win a Stanley Cup."
Video: Corey Perry on joining the Habs
On the Canadiens being his favorite team growing up, and his fondest childhood memory as a Habs fan:
"This opportunity came up, and it's something I didn't want to turn down. I've always wanted to play in a Canadian city and growing up, Montreal was my favorite team, being so close to the border in Northern Ontario. This is exciting for me; it's a new chapter, and I'm looking forward to it.
"I think I was seven or eight or nine, I was in Rouyn-Noranda at a hockey school, and I believe it was Eric Desjardins who brought the Cup to the hockey school for a day. I got my picture taken with it, so that's a fond memory for me."
On reuniting with former Team Canada teammates Shea Weber and Carey Price:
"I've had some fond memories with them, that's for sure. I played with Shea five or six times in international competition, and Carey a couple of times. It's definitely an exciting group, and they're a huge part of this. I'm excited to get going."
Du rouge Canada au rouge Canadiens. 🍁
From Canadian red to Canadiens red.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/mshdCYI0zr
- Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 28, 2020
On his experience going to the Stanley Cup Final with the Dallas Stars in the bubble this summer:
"Everybody knows how weird of a season it was with the break in March and then coming back, and nobody knowing if we were going to going to finish the season. But we got it in and we got it finished. Losing in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, it just rips you apart and you're hungrier for more."
Scorey Perry: bubble edition#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/2FwTzWQtEo
- Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 28, 2020
On getting the opportunity to mentor young centers Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi:
"That would be exciting, because they're great players. I skated with Nick a few times over the fall and into the winter, so I got to know him a little bit. He's a great kid. I'm excited to get to know everybody and be a part of this team."
On the critics saying that his best years are behind him:
"I've heard that the last few years, and I put it behind me and use it as motivation. I heard I couldn't skate when I first came into the League and I'd never play. I use all those things as fuel on the fire. The one year I got cut from the World Junior team and went back and made it the next year. I just use all that, put it behind me, and look at what I have in front of me. I'm a guy that's going to go and get it."
On whether he was given any guarantees for a spot in the lineup before signing with Montreal:
"No, there's no assurance in anything. You've got to come in and you've got to prove yourself each and every day. That's why I'm here: I want to prove myself again. And then the next day you come to the rink, you've got to prove it again. There's nothing given to anybody. We're all here for one reason, and that's to win a Stanley Cup. Competition doesn't hurt anybody."
Perry also shared a message directly to Habs fans, in French:
Hi everyone,
I'm extremely happy to be in Montreal with such a historic and first-class franchise.
I hope to bring home the Stanley Cup here.
Thank you!
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