Reports that Corey Perry could join the Leafs as early as next week!

According to a report from TSN insider Carlo Colaiacovo, unrestricted free agent and the Toronto Maple Leafs have 'mutual interest' in a short-term contract for the balance of the 2023-24 season.

From Colaiacovo on TSN's 'First Up' program earlier today:

"My understanding is that there is mutual interest between the Leafs and Corey Perry."

- Carlo Colaiacovo

Now, I don't believe that Colaiacovo is an trusted insider with the likes of Darren Dreger, Frank Seravalli or Elliotte Friedman, so I don't know how accurate this report is but at first blush it makes a lot of sense.

Perry could be a great fit for a team like the Leafs, a team looking to get over the Playoff hump.

The thing is... you could say that probably a dozen of the NHL's 16 playoff teams. Assuming Perry has worked through whatever issues that he was dealing with when he had his contract terminated by the Blackhawks, he could provide some serious veteran leadership and depth scoring on a playoff contender. Also, don't forget that the Leafs and Perry were close to an agreement back in 2020 but the Leafs' cap situation prevented them from bringing the veteran forward on board.

Perry has yet to face the media since the Blackhawks terminated his contract, but he did issue a public statement denying allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a family member of one of his Blackhawks teammates. We won't rehash that entire fiasco, but there was a week earlier in the season where some pretty wild rumors were spreading about Perry and rookie superstar Connor Bedard's mother Melanie Bedard. Those rumors were proved to be false and Perry himself admitted that he was struggling with alcoholism. He has worked to improve himself and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman officially granted him permission to sign an NHL contract.

Whether or not Perry ends up signing with the Leafs remains to be seen, but I'm willing to bet that he absolutely will be back in the NHL this season. Again, I think a dozen or more teams would be interested in his services and I suspect he'll have no shortage of options come across his desk. Stay tuned.