No player has made a bigger splash or impact on the Los Angeles Kings among the team's newest signees from this past free agent cycle in the summer this past offseason than veteran winger Corey Perry.
Corey Perry looks to be part of a new-look power play unit for the Los Angeles Kings early this week
Perry was not a signing that Kings fans originally expected or welcomed at the time this past free agency cycle in the summer in the 2025 offseason. But the ability to get the job done with goal scoring and helping the Kings win games will help to smooth over any past differences with Perry and the LA fan base this fall in the regular season.
Since Perry entered the lineup for the Kings' forward core group a couple of weeks ago, LA and head coach Jim Hiller are 4-1-2. Perry is tied for the team-lead in goals, scoring a whopping five goals in just seven games played for the Kings this fall early in the regular season.
An area where the Kings could really use some help from a hot goal-scorer in the lineup right now, like Perry, is on the special teams on the power play unit. Perry is the most recent Kings player who has scored a goal on the power play unit early this regular season, against the Dallas Stars on the road a couple of weeks ago.
It was reported on Monday morning that Perry participated in practice with the top power play unit on special teams for the Kings early this week. Perry replaced winger Andrei Kuzmenko with the Kings' top power play unit on special teams at practice today.
I don't think this move necessarily is being made because of Kuzmenko falling behind on the Kings' top power play unit this season. Kuzmenko has been pretty cold in the goal scoring department in the past couple of weeks for the Kings. He scored a goal for the Kings in the 4-1 loss to the Devils this past weekend.
This could be the type of move that gives the Kings the juice they need to finally spark the power play unit on special teams. Perry has already scored a power play goal for the Kings early this regular season. He's got the proven experience and ability to put the puck in the net around the front of the net to give added fire power on the power play alongside skilled forwards on the top unit, like Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe.
The Kings are 0-for-16 on the power play on special teams in the past six games. LA hasn't scored a power play goal in the past five games, including the last two on home ice against the Devils and Detroit Red Wings this past Thursday night.
The next opportunity we could see the new-look Kings' power play top unit is against the Winnipeg Jets on home ice on Tuesday night (Nov. 4).