Corey Perry has worn a lot of hats during his NHL career.
Father Time has caught up to the Oilers winger, whose days of amassing 30, 40 and 50-goal campaigns are a thing of the past. He still is a productive player, however, finding a home on the bottom six for three Stanley Cup finalists in the past four seasons.
Perry’s latest magic trick involves throwing his body around on Edmonton, one of hockey’s silkiest sides. It’s been a match made in heaven thus far. Perry only contributed eight goals and 13 points in 38 appearances during the regular season. Nonetheless, he’s making an impact in other ways; namely by running roughshod on any adversary willing to test him.
Perry has had a lot of monikers throughout his playing career. Few describe him as succinctly as “The Worm,” an epithet that casts a light on his grating style of play.
Here’s what you need to know about the sobriquet that has taken the hockey world by storm over the past few weeks.
MORE: What teams have never won a Stanley Cup?
Corey Perry nickname, explained
Some call him Scorey, others claim he’s Perrs. At this point in his career, though, the most common way to summon Perry is by calling him “The Worm.”
The meaning of Perry’s nickname changes depending on who is discussing it. Some believe it’s a reference to his hard-nosed play, particularly on the offensive end of the ice. At 6-3, 208 pounds, Perry is no ballerina. He’s made his bones getting to the crease, warding off his foes and finding the target from close range.
MORE: When was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?
For the better part of his career, he did just that. Perry was a trebuchet with the Ducks, earning Hart Memorial Trophy honors after netting 50 times in 2011. He did so while amassing 104 penalty minutes, a testament to the fire and brimstone he showcased while slaloming across the ice.
“We knew he was going to be in there,” Adam Henrique said after playing against Perry, per The Athletic. “That’s his game. He’s in there. He finds ways to be that pest in the side of whoever he’s playing against. He’s not afraid to get in there. And that’s why he’s had the success that he’s had.”
Perry’s scoring touch has faded noticeably under Father Time’s embrace, but that harrowing frame hasn’t. And although he doesn’t make much of an impact with his stick, he still delivers crunching blows when the opportunity arises. That may explain the other reason why Perry is called “The Worm” — he’s an irritating player to face off against.
MORE: What did Corey Perry do?
Such a reputation has followed him since his junior days, according to former general manager Brian Burke.
“With Corey Perry, his work ethic was terrific,” Burke told The Athletic in 2022. “He was a mean son of a b—. He put up massive numbers in London, started all kinds of stuff. He looked like a choir boy but played like he was on ‘Team Devil.’ In warmups, he was chirping guys, trying to start a fight. He was a throwback.”
More than 20 years later, it still follows him. And it offers at least some explanation for why Edmonton decided to offer Perry a contract after he saw his contract with the Blackhawks ripped up for engaging in “unacceptable” conduct and in breach of Chicago’s policies to promote professional and safe workplace environments.
