With 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), Corey Perry has seen snow and his experience will be of great value to his new team, the Chicago Blackhawks, and especially their talented junior Connor Bedard.

The day after the Hawks acquired his rights, the forward signed a one-year, $4 million contract and is ready for his next mission, which will be very similar to what he has been doing in recent years: to mentor hockey players much younger than him. However, one of the students this time around will be Bedard, the first pick in the 2023 draft who will be the focus of attention.

Also read: NHL: Matt Duchene is annoyed with his former team

Also read: Another team in the running for DeBrincat

Also read: Has the Bruins’ demise begun?

The 38-year-old professor barely hides his excitement at the idea of ​​mentoring his 17-year-old student’s future exploits.

“I’m excited about this opportunity because of course I know Connor is coming here and what type of player he embodies. I’ve seen a lot of his games, especially at the World Junior Championships. So it’s a good time for the Blackhawks,” said NHL.com, who has played for the Tampa Bay Lightning for the past two seasons, on Friday.

This playful attitude should inspire the organization of the Windy City. In fact, the former Montreal Canadiens believes he still has a lot to offer on the ice. His arrival, along with those of Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, will make the roster far more menacing than the 2022-2023 roster, which finished second-bottom in the Western Conference.

“It’s not easy in this league, especially when 18-20-year-olds come into the league. You have to stay calm and try to figure out where you fit in best. I just want to help them,” he said.

Still gas in the tank

Perry isn’t known for his speed, and rumor has it that he’s visibly slowing down as he nears retirement. However, he doesn’t seem at all willing to leave his skates in the closet, on the contrary.

“When it comes to you, the words you don’t want to hear are: We’re going in a different direction. It ignited the flame within me. “I heard that phrase in Anaheim when we bought my contract,” he said, drawing a parallel to his departure from Tampa. It motivates me and let’s see where it goes.”