Kings’ Corey Perry granted leave to deal with family illness

A veteran is taking time away from the game to deal with a personal matter.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that forward Corey Perry has been designated non-roster playing status, as he is returning home to deal with an illness in his family.

In response, the Kings have called up forwards Andre Lee and Taylor Ward from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Ontario Reign, on an emergency basis.

The team didn’t reveal any further details on Perry’s absence.

The 40-year-old has appeared in 35 games for the Kings this season, as he missed the first few weeks of the year while recovering from a preseason knee injury. While the Kings have a lot of young stars – Quinton Byfield, Adrian Kempe and Brandt Clarke – Perry has been one of the team’s top offensive producers. So far, he has potted nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points, sitting tied for fourth on the team in scoring with captain Anze Kopitar.

Perry came to L.A. after spending the last couple of seasons with the Edmonton Oilers. There, he helped the team make it to the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row, falling to the Florida Panthers both times. He signed a one-year contract with the Kings on July 1, with a cap hit of $3.5 million.

Lee has been in Ontario all season, having scored a career-high 15 goals and 27 points in just 32 games. He played 19 games with the Kings last season, scoring a goal and two assists for three points. Ward made his NHL debut on April 17, 2025, his lone appearance so far in the league, scoring a goal to mark the occasion. In 32 games with the Regin this year, he has notched 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points.

The Kings (18-14-9) sit fourth in the Pacific Division, holding onto the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.