Veteran NHL player Corey Perry recently spoke with Daniel Nugent Bowman of The Athletic about his experience playing alongside Connor McDavid and his former linemate Ryan Getzlaf. Perry compared the two setups, drawing parallels and distinctions.
When questioned about the similarities between McDavid's setups for Zach Hyman's goals and Getzlaf's setups for Perry's, Perry said (via hockeynews.com):
"They are both tremendous players, they both see the ice very well. Playing with Getzy [Getzlaf] for all those years was definitely beneficial for me."
However, Perry pinpointed a key difference between the two setups:
"But ... Connor might be a little bit quicker."
Perry thrived on precise feeds and setups from Getzlaf during their tenure with the Anaheim Ducks and now with McDavid on the Edmonton Oilers.
The chemistry between a forward and his center is crucial in generating scoring opportunities. Perry has experienced success with both McDavid and Getzlaf due to their exceptional abilities to read the game and find openings.
Corey Perry hits 10-goal milestone with Oilers
In Saturday's game against the Maple Leafs, Corey Perry was on fire, even though they lost 6-3. He scored a power-play goal and took five shots on target. Plus, he threw in two hits for good measure.
Perry hasn't been on his A-game lately, with just one assist in the last six games. But when it comes to power plays, he's been killing it, scoring his last two goals in those situations.
Throughout this season, split between the Oilers and the Blackhawks, Perry has racked up some decent stats: 10 goals, 18 points, 62 shots on goal, 35 hits and 37 penalty minutes. He's sitting at a minus-4 rating.