Sharks villain Perry achieves impressive Stanley Cup Final record originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
A long-time Sharks villain has set a Stanley Cup Final record.
Corey Perry, in his 20th season, is set for his fifth Stanley Cup Final appearance after the Edmonton Oilers dispatched the Dallas Stars in six games in the Western Conference finals, becoming the first player in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Final with five different teams.
The 39-year-old, a four-time All-Star and winner of the 2010-11 Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s MVP, now has made it to the championship round with the Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and the aforementioned Oilers.
Perry became a nemesis of San Jose during his time in Anaheim, where he played for 14 seasons after being drafted by the Ducks No. 28 overall in the 2003 NHL Draft.
Throughout those 13 years, the Sharks’ rivalry with the Ducks was fervent as ever, with Perry running up his penalty minutes as well as his goals and assists counts.
And, of course, delivering some controversial hits along the way, like this one in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.
To be exact, over the span of his career, Perry has amassed 94 penalty minutes, 28 goals and 26 assists in 75 games against San Jose.
The winger has more points and penalty minutes against the Sharks than every other team in the league but the Utah Hockey Club — formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes.
Now, as the Oilers prepare to face the Florida Panthers for the illustrious Stanley Cup, it appears that San Jose fans have a team to root for.
And thanks to Perry, a team to root against.