Corey Perry to miss five months after undergoing knee surgery

According to general manager Bob Murray, Ducks forward Corey Perry will miss up to five months after undergoing surgery to repair injuries in his right knee.

Perry has been a staple on the Ducks over the past decade-and-a-half. Since breaking into the league in 2005-06, Perry has never missed more than 15 games in a season. This surgery to repair meniscus and MCL damage in his right knee will result in the longest trip to the Injured Reserve in Perry’s career.

This injury is yet another wrinkle in Perry’s declining career. After being a consistent 30-goal threat during the prime of his career, Perry has failed to reach the 20-goal plateau in back-to-back seasons. Last year, Perry scored just 17 goals, which was his lowest total in a non-lockout season since he scored 17 as a 21-year-old sophomore back in 2006-07.

Perry joins veterans Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves as current Ducks veterans dealing with injuries. Kesler had off-season back surgery last summer and played in only 44 games for the team. The Ducks are easing him back and there was talk during the off-season that he could miss substantial time in 2018-19. Eaves had the entirety of his 2017-18 season derailed due to post-viral infection.

The Ducks will get a substantial bonus when Perry is placed on the Long Term Injured Reserve, but they’ll likely have to look to internal options to compensate for his loss in the lineup. Rookie right winger Troy Terry, who scored 48 points in 39 games for the University of Denver last season, figures to get a look in the team’s top six in Perry’s absence.