The Corey Perry era in Chicago is officially over. This has been one of the most mysterious stories in recent memory, which started when Perry was a last-second scratch prior to Wednesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Head coach Luke Richardson and general manager Kyle Davidson said it was an organizational decision and never gave us further details. Things were convoluted further when Perry’s agents released a statement saying his client was taking a personal leave from the team.
The silence from both sides led to rampant speculation and wild rumors. Today, the Chicago Blackhawks released this official statement:
“After an internal investigation, the Chicago Blackhawks have determined that Corey Perry has engaged in conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation both of the terms of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments. As such, Corey Perry has been placed on unconditional waivers. In the event Mr. Perry clears waivers, we intend to terminate his contract effective immediately.”
Off the ice, it’s good that the team quickly handled this situation and made a decision. On the ice, the Blackhawks have lost two veteran leaders for the season in Perry and Taylor Hall.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson met with the media ahead of tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken. While he refused to give full details on what got us to this point, he did give some clarity in his opening statement.
“Last week, management was notified of possible misconduct by Corey Perry,” he revealed. “I will not be able to disclose any details. This does not involve any players or their families. Anyone that suggests otherwise is wildly inaccurate, and frankly, it’s disgusting.”
Davidson was clearly upset by the whole ordeal and seemed to fight back tears at multiple times during the nine-minute press conference.
“Over the last 24 hours, what’s gone on has been very disturbing,” he said. “I feel like I’m wearing it; I’m carrying that. It’s tough to see.”
You can watch the entire press conference below:
