Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper heaped praise on veteran forward Corey Perry prior to Saturday's Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"He is an extension of the coaching staff all over the ice," he said, per Bally Sports Florida's Gabby Shirley. "His demeanor on the bench and the things he says throughout the game might be the best I've seen in 10 years. That is how good he is."

He added: "It's no coincidence that teams go to the final when he is on the team."

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Perry has made three straight Stanley Cup Finals as a member of three different teams, losing out on the NHL's top prize with the Dallas Stars in 2020, the Montreal Canadiens in 2021, and the Lightning last season.

The 37-year-old has made the playoffs 15 times over 18 campaigns, winning the Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks.

The gifted agitator is the league's active leader in playoff games played (192) and penalty minutes (271), while his 53 postseason goals are tied with Nikita Kucherov and Patrick Kane for the fifth most.