Corey Perry, the perennial antagonist and undeniable playoff performer, has carved out a unique, if somewhat agonizing, niche in NHL history. With the Edmonton Oilers’ recent defeat in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, Perry has now appeared in the championship series an astonishing six times in his illustrious career, but has only one Cup to show for it – dating back to his rookie season with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. The narrative that has emerged is one of almost unbelievable misfortune: five Stanley Cup Final losses in a mere six years, across four different franchises. This remarkable, yet disheartening, run begs the question: Is Corey Perry the most unlucky player in the NHL?
Let’s break down the sequence of events that has led to this unique statistical anomaly:
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2007: Anaheim Ducks (Won) – This is where the story begins with triumph. A young Corey Perry, then a burgeoning star, was part of a powerful Anaheim Ducks team that defeated the Ottawa Senators in five games to capture the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. At that point, Perry was 1-0 in the Final, and it seemed like the beginning of a dynasty for the Ducks, or at least a player who would collect multiple championships.
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2020: Dallas Stars (Lost to Tampa Bay Lightning) – Thirteen years later, after a long and successful career primarily with Anaheim, Perry signed with the Dallas Stars. In the COVID-19 impacted bubble playoffs, the Stars defied expectations and made a Cinderella run to the Final. They faced the formidable Tampa Bay Lightning and lost in six games. This marked Perry’s first Final loss since his Cup win.
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2021: Montreal Canadiens (Lost to Tampa Bay Lightning) – The very next season, Perry signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens. In another improbable playoff surge, the Canadiens, against all odds, reached the Stanley Cup Final. Who did they face? The same Tampa Bay Lightning, who once again proved too strong, winning in five games. This was Perry’s second consecutive Final loss, both to the same opponent. The “Perry effect” was starting to gain traction, but as a positive, where teams were suddenly going to the Final with him.
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2022: Tampa Bay Lightning (Lost to Colorado Avalanche) – In a twist of fate, after losing to the Lightning twice, Perry signed with the very team that had defeated him! He joined Tampa Bay, hoping to finally win another Cup with a truly dominant team. The Lightning made it to their third consecutive Final, but this time they were met by the fast and skilled Colorado Avalanche, who defeated them in six games. This was Perry’s third straight Final loss, and the irony of losing with the team he had lost to in previous years was not lost on anyone. He had become the first player in NHL history to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four different teams (Dallas, Montreal, Tampa Bay, and now Edmonton).
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2024: Edmonton Oilers (Lost to Florida Panthers) – After a tumultuous start to the 2023-24 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, which saw his contract terminated, Perry signed with the Edmonton Oilers midway through the year. His arrival coincided with a remarkable turnaround for the Oilers, who went on a historic run from near the bottom of the league to reach the Stanley Cup Final. They faced the Florida Panthers and, in a heartbreaking series, lost in seven games after coming back from a 3-0 deficit. This was Perry’s fourth consecutive Final loss and his fifth overall.
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2025: Edmonton Oilers (Lost to Florida Panthers) – The Oilers, with Perry re-signed for another year, once again made it to the Stanley Cup Final, facing a familiar foe in the Florida Panthers. This time, the series went six games, with the Panthers ultimately emerging victorious. This loss marked Perry’s fifth consecutive defeat in the Stanley Cup Final, and his sixth overall appearance.
This sequence of events undeniably paints a picture of a player who consistently finds himself on teams capable of reaching the pinnacle of the sport, only to fall short at the final hurdle. It’s an unprecedented string of near-misses.
The term “unlucky” certainly applies in a superficial sense. To get to the Stanley Cup Final is an incredibly difficult feat, requiring skill, depth, resilience, and often a fair bit of luck with injuries and bounces. To do it five times in six years, with different teams, suggests that Perry himself is a contributing factor to those deep runs. Teams clearly value his veteran presence, leadership, physicality, and playoff acumen. He’s a “glue guy” who knows what it takes to win in the postseason, even if the ultimate victory has eluded him recently.
However, “unlucky” might also imply that the outcomes were purely random. While hockey certainly has its share of randomness, each of those Final losses can be attributed to a combination of factors:
- Stronger Opponents: The teams Perry’s recent clubs faced (2020-21 Lightning, 2022 Avalanche, 2024-25 Panthers) were all exceptional. The Lightning were a dynasty in the making, the Avalanche a juggernaut, and the Panthers have established themselves as a formidable, physical force.
- Team Dynamics and Depth: While Perry certainly contributes, he’s been a role player on these recent Finalist teams. The ultimate success or failure often rests on the shoulders of the team’s top players and overall depth. In some instances, the opposing team simply had more talent or played a more complete game.
- The Nature of the Stanley Cup: It is widely considered the hardest trophy to win in professional sports. Even dominant teams fail to win it consistently. Getting there is a monumental achievement; winning it is even more so. The margin between winning and losing is incredibly thin.
While Perry’s recent run is uniquely concentrated, he is not alone in experiencing multiple Cup Final heartbreaks. Many great players have had several Final appearances with only one or no wins. For instance, players like Pete Mahovlich (4 losses, 2 wins), Glenn Anderson (7 appearances, 6 wins, but also multiple losses after his Oilers dynasty), and others have experienced both triumph and significant disappointment.
However, Perry’s distinction lies in the concentration and consecutive nature of his losses across multiple different franchises. This is what makes his situation stand out. He became the first player in NHL history to reach the Final with five different franchises (Anaheim, Dallas, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Edmonton) and the first player to lose four Finals with four different teams. This unparalleled journey truly makes his case compelling.
Is Corey Perry the most unlucky player in the NHL? In terms of consistently being on the cusp of the ultimate prize only to fall short in rapid succession, the answer is a resounding yes. His five Stanley Cup Final losses in six years are an almost unbelievable run of near-misses, a testament to his value in helping teams reach that stage, but also a cruel twist of fate in the ultimate outcome.
It speaks volumes about his character and desire that, even at 40 years old, he continues to seek out opportunities with contending teams, enduring the emotional roller coaster of deep playoff runs. While he already has one Cup to his name and a Hart Trophy, the narrative of his recent career is undeniably dominated by the elusive nature of that second championship. He’s not just a player; he’s become a symbol of the immense difficulty of winning the Stanley Cup, and the thin line between glory and agonizing defeat. For Corey Perry, the “luck” of reaching the Final so often is now intertwined with the “unluckiness” of repeatedly coming up short.
