The Los Angeles Kings are dealing with two tough blows before the season even starts. Both Corey Perry and Angus Booth will be sidelined for several months with lower-body injuries.
Perry’s situation is particularly painful for the Kings. The 40-year-old veteran just signed a $2 million deal this summer, and now he needs knee surgery after getting hurt during a late-summer practice session.
It’s a real setback for the team. Perry was supposed to be a key piece of their lineup after an impressive run last season – he scored 19 goals and added 11 assists in 81 games.
He was especially hot in the playoffs, racking up 14 points during Edmonton’s push to the Stanley Cup Final.
But now there are big questions about when Perry will actually suit up for the Kings. And at his age, bouncing back from knee surgery won’t be easy.
The other injury involves young defenseman Angus Booth, who’s also facing a lengthy recovery. While he wasn’t guaranteed an NHL spot, he was making a strong case for himself as a depth defender.
Booth turned heads last year with the Ontario Reign in the AHL. His defense-first approach worked well, and he put up 13 points while spending 38 minutes in the penalty box across 50 games.
He would’ve been competing with Samuel Bolduc and Jacob Moverare for that seventh defender spot on the Kings’ roster. Instead, he’ll likely head back to Ontario when he’s healthy, probably sometime near the end of the year.
For the Kings, it’s not an ideal way to start the season. They’ll need other players to step up, especially while waiting for Perry’s veteran presence in their middle-six forward group.
