When does a world-class pain in the rear end magically transform into someone who merely “plays on the edge”?

The answer, of course, is when that player dons the jersey of your favorite team.

Many seemingly unpardonable sins — committed while a player was doing his infuriating best to beat the home team — are fast forgiven once that player wreaks havoc for the good guys.

I can’t imagine a better way to test that theory here in Nashville than if the Predators sign free-agent forward Corey Perry.

There’s no guarantee it will happen, of course, especially when the Preds’ first priority in free agency is landing a high-octane offensive forward, presumably center Matt Duchene. We don’t know how much money will remain in the coffers if and when that occurs, not to mention the re-signing of restricted free agents Colton Sissons and Rocco Grimaldi.

But per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, there is at least mutual interest between the Predators and the 34-year-old, who was bought out by Anaheim last week after 14 seasons, 776 points, one Stanley Cup and one Hart Trophy.

Perry, needless to say, has carved out quite a reputation over the years, both with his point-producing ability and his often over-the-borderline play.

The 6-foot-3, 206-pound Perry is a regular on lists like the NHL’s Most Hated and the NHL’s Dirtiest Players, and Predators fans have seen plenty of his schtick, especially with Nashville and Anaheim meeting three times in the playoffs during the past eight seasons.

One of Perry’s more memorable moments against the Preds occurred in Game 5 of the Western Conference final in 2017, as the clock ticked down in a crucial 3-1 Nashville victory.

During a stoppage in play, Perry high-sticked Preds forward Vern Fiddler, took a swing at him while Fiddler was otherwise engaged with Ryan Kessler, and then — as a referee held the two players apart from one another — reached around the official to smack Fiddler once more.

Is there any doubt as to why Perry was so regularly booed at Bridgestone Arena, or why he was subject to the “Katy Perry” chants of Predators’ faithful?

Fiddler admittedly was no angel himself during the altercation, but that’s the thing about Perry. His actions are often so annoying — a high stick here, a late hit there, a flop for good measure — that he makes other NHL irritants look tame.

Just listen to what NBC Sports analyst Mike Milbury, speaking of abrasive personalities, had to say about Perry a few years ago when the Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks were battling in the Western Conference final.

“If I were playing against Corey Perry, I’d probably want to hurt him in some painful and permanent way,” Milbury said. “And I think most of the rest of the league feels the same way.”

So now that we’ve painted a picture of Perry as the scourge of modern-day hockey, it’s going to sound a little strange to say the Predators could use a guy like him (we asked The Athletic’s Ducks beat writer Eric Stephens to project a potential move to Nashville, and he answered at the bottom of this story).

But they could, especially if Perry is able to bounce back from last year’s subpar season.

One criticism of the Predators last year was that — despite a Central Division-winning campaign — they too often played like they had a case of the blahs, especially in the early going of games. The Preds scored the first goal in less than half of their contests during the 2018-19 season. When Nashville surrendered the opening goal, it won just 12 of 42 games.

The Predators appeared at times to have lost their identity — their edge — from a couple of seasons earlier, when an aggressive, hungry team attacked its way to the Stanley Cup Final.

I went back and retrieved an interview I did with NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes a couple of weeks before the playoffs, and this is what he had to say about the Preds’ personality at that point.

“The Preds don’t look like themselves as a team,” Weekes said at the time. “They’re not playing with that same swag. (Peter Laviolette’s) teams always play with a swag. So I’m curious to see if they’re going to be able to rediscover that swag and that kind of foaming at the mouth that Lavy’s teams like to play with — that up-tempo game, pressure you into the ground, force you into making mistakes and leveraging the crowd.”

Would signing Perry singlehandedly make the difference for the Predators in that regard? Certainly not.

But say this for Perry: His desire to crash the enemy crease, his nasty style and his nonstop chatter all convey an attitude, one that wasn’t always apparent on the Preds last season. Outside of Austin Watson, was there really a Predators player whom opponents had to concern themselves with — from a physical standpoint — last season?

Perry would also bring a dose of veteran leadership, evidenced by the fact he served as an Anaheim alternate captain over the past five seasons.

Do those attributes mean Perry’s sometimes dangerous antics should get glossed over? No, but that, unfortunately, is part of the Perry package. Take it or leave it.

The other question regarding Perry is this: How much does he have left in the tank?

We know he’s not the Perry of yesteryear, when he averaged 37 goals over three seasons ending in 2015-16. He didn’t hit the 20-goal mark the following two years and was limited by a knee injury to just 31 games last year, totaling six goals and four assists.

Granted, Perry was playing for a crummy Ducks team, one that finished third from last in the Western Conference standings. Still, his numbers in limited time weren’t good. He had a shot-attempt percentage of 47.3 during five-on-five play, and Perry was on the ice for just eight even-strength goals, compared with 19 against.

So the Predators would have to decide whether Perry could still make an offensive impact — probably as a third-line forward — or whether he’s spiraling toward the end of his career, a la Wayne Simmonds last season.

If they show faith and offer Perry a contract, we might witness quite a scene in Bridgestone next season: Predators fans cheering Corey Perry instead of chanting “Katy Perry.”

What a difference a jersey would make.

The Athletic’s Anaheim Ducks beat writer Eric Stephens

Been viewing some of the fan reaction from places that Corey Perry has been linked to, and I’ve had chuckle or two (or more than few) over those who are completely beside themselves at the prospect of their team possibly acquiring a former Hart Trophy winner with nearly 400 goals in his career.

Yes, I get it. People hate him. It should be more about how he plays the game than him personally, as I’ve long found him to be very professional and increasingly illuminating over time even as he has generally preferred to keep an air of privacy about him and his family away from the rink. However, you ask him about a teammate, and he can be quite effusive. But rooting for him and writing about him are two completely unrelated entities.

Yes, I get it. He is out to annoy the opponent and rile him to the point where he’s been thrown off his game. He is bent on disturbing a goalie’s peace enough to where that netminder is just as worried about him as stopping the puck. And he bends that line between what’s legal and illegal as much as possible. Steps over it on occasion and usually steps back before the referee catches him. Sneaky dirty and sometimes not so sneaky. (To date, he has been suspended twice over his 14 seasons, and the last came six years ago.)

Ah, the prospect of rooting for him. Probably tastes as good as cod liver oil. But if he gives you 20 to 25 goals next year, chances are most of the paying public will be cheering for those scores at home games.

That’s really what is at stake here. Can he help the Predators or any other club he can find a match with?

This is what you’d be getting. A motivated winger looking to show Anaheim and the rest of the NHL that he isn’t done yet. An offensive forward with a nose for the net, and a highly underrated passer to boot. A player who has won at every level, possessing tons of postseason experience with dramatic overtime goals to win pivotal playoff games and end series. And you would be getting him on the cheap.

He’ll be a full year removed from his MCL and meniscus surgery. There is still risk, of course. He hasn’t been particularly good for three years now. If that knee doesn’t respond like it should, he could no longer be a factor in today’s NHL. But you don’t view him as a $9 million player who’s a faded star. You should view him as a complementary piece who can deepen a forward lineup at a steep discount for a short (probably one-year) commitment.

I believe Nashville can use a bit of all that. David Poile seems willing to stomach the thought of Corey Perry on his team. Would you?

(Photo: Aaron Doster / USA Today)