The Stanley Cup Final is a stage of ultimate triumph, a culmination of a grueling season and an even more demanding playoff run. For most players, reaching it once in a career is an honor, twice a dream come true. To win it, to hoist Lord Stanley’s chalice, is the pinnacle of a hockey player’s existence. But for Corey Perry, the veteran forward for the Edmonton Oilers, this current Stanley Cup Final represents something uniquely agonizing: the potential for historic heartbreak, a fifth consecutive loss in the championship series.
Perry’s career is already etched in hockey history. He’s a former Hart Trophy winner, an Olympic gold medalist, and a member of the exclusive Triple Gold Club, having won the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold, and a World Championship. His lone Stanley Cup victory came early in his career, in 2007, as a key component of the Anaheim Ducks. At that point, it seemed like the first of many for the then-young power forward. What followed, however, has been a streak of near misses and agonizing defeats in the biggest series of them all.
The narrative of “Corey Perry and the Stanley Cup Final losses” began in earnest in 2020. After spending 14 seasons with the Ducks, Perry found himself with the Dallas Stars, an experienced veteran brought in for his playoff grit and leadership. The Stars made a Cinderella run to the Final in the COVID-19 bubble, only to fall to the dominant Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. Perry, ever the competitor, even scored a crucial overtime goal in Game 5 to keep Dallas’s hopes alive, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough.
The very next season, 2021, Perry signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens. Incredibly, he once again found himself in the Stanley Cup Final, facing the very same Tampa Bay Lightning. The Canadiens, against all odds, had surged through the North Division playoffs, defying expectations. But the Lightning proved too powerful, dispatching Montreal in five games to claim their second consecutive Cup. For Perry, it was back-to-back Finals losses, both at the hands of the same opponent.
The story took an even more peculiar turn in 2022. Desperate to finally get his name on the Cup again, Perry decided to join the Tampa Bay Lightning. The logic was simple: if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. He became a valuable depth piece for a Lightning team chasing a historic three-peat. They reached the Final for the third straight year, and once again, Perry was there. This time, their opponent was the Colorado Avalanche, a fast, skilled, and hungry team. The series was hard-fought, but the Avalanche ultimately prevailed in six games, denying the Lightning their three-peat and, more agonizingly for Perry, handing him his third consecutive Stanley Cup Final loss.
The hockey world began to whisper of a “Corey Perry curse.” It was a cruel irony: a player whose career embodied competitiveness and a relentless drive to win had become the unfortunate common denominator in multiple championship defeats. He was undeniably a valuable player on these teams, contributing leadership, grit, and timely goals, but the ultimate prize continued to elude him.
Now, in 2025, Corey Perry finds himself in the Stanley Cup Final for an astonishing fifth time in a row, this time with the Edmonton Oilers. After a tumultuous start to the 2024-2025 season with another organization, he signed with Edmonton mid-season, joining a team loaded with superstar talent in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but one that has historically struggled to get over the hump. The Oilers’ journey to the Final has been arduous, marked by exhilarating comebacks and hard-fought victories. And now, they face the formidable Florida Panthers, a team that has already dashed the hopes of several contenders.
For Perry, this is the ultimate test of resilience. To reach the pinnacle of the sport five times consecutively, with four different teams (Dallas, Montreal, Tampa Bay, and now Edmonton), is an unprecedented achievement in itself. It speaks volumes about his sustained value as a player, his leadership, and his ability to contribute to winning cultures, even as his role has transitioned from a prime-time scorer to a veteran grinder and emotional catalyst. Teams bring him in for his experience, his playoff savvy, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
The thought of losing a fifth straight Final must weigh heavily on Perry. The heartbreak of 2020, 2021, and 2022 would be compounded by yet another defeat. This isn’t just a statistical anomaly; it’s a profound personal narrative of chasing the ultimate prize only to be denied at the very last step, repeatedly. Each loss represents the crushing end of a dream shared with a new group of teammates, a new city, and a new set of hopes.
The pressure on Perry, both internal and external, is immense. He’s nearing the end of his illustrious career, and opportunities like this become increasingly rare. His lone Cup win came so long ago that it’s a distant memory for many younger fans. He wants another, not just for himself, but for his family, and to rewrite the cruel recent history that has defined his postseason appearances.
Should the Oilers fall to the Panthers, Corey Perry will not only have lost his fifth consecutive Stanley Cup Final, but he will have done so with four different franchises, an unfortunate record that would likely never be broken. It would be a testament to his uncanny ability to reach the Final, but also to a remarkable streak of bad luck in the decisive series.
Yet, even in the face of such looming heartbreak, Perry’s presence on the ice remains impactful. He’s a veteran who still drives opponents crazy, a player willing to go to the dirty areas, and a voice of experience in the locker room. His calm demeanor and focus, despite the historical weight on his shoulders, exemplify the mental fortitude required to play in so many high-pressure situations.
The hockey world will be watching Corey Perry with bated breath in these final games. Will he finally break the curse? Will he lift the Cup again, proving that perseverance, even against overwhelming odds, can eventually lead to redemption? Or will he endure the most painful, historically significant heartbreak in the annals of the Stanley Cup Final? Regardless of the outcome, Corey Perry’s “historic heartbreak” narrative has become one of the most compelling storylines in recent memory, a brutal testament to the unpredictable, often cruel, nature of professional sports.
