CHICAGO (AP) —The Chicago Blackhawks said veteran winger Corey Perry engaged in unacceptable conduct and took a step Tuesday toward terminating his contract.
The Blackhawks in a statement said an internal investigation showed Perry acted in violation of his NHL Standard Player Contract and their club policies "intended to promote professional and safe work environments." Chicago put Perry on unconditional waivers and said his deal will be terminated as long as he clears.
The team has not given any indication as to what Perry did to warrant these actions.
“As this is an individual personnel matter, I will not be able to disclose any details related to the initial reporting or the findings,” general manager Kyle Davidson said Tuesday.
"However, I do want to be very clear on this point. This does not involve any players or their families, and anything that suggests otherwise, or anyone that suggests otherwise, is wildly inaccurate and frankly it’s disgusting.”
Perry hasn’t played since he skated for almost 15 minutes during a 3-2 loss to Buffalo on Nov. 19. He was scratched for Chicago’s past three games before Tuesday night’s matchup with Seattle.
Agent Pat Morris did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on the Blackhawks’ intent to terminate Perry’s contract. Over the weekend, he said in a statement that Perry had stepped away to attend to personal matters.
Perry, 38, signed a $2 million contract with Chicago for this season with $2 million in potential incentives. An 18-year veteran known for his leadership, the Peterborough, Ontario, native won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007 and became the first player in league history to reach the final three consecutive years and lose each time with Dallas, Montreal and Tampa Bay from 2020-22.
(© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram