The Chicago Blackhawks have moved to terminate Corey Perry’s contract.Photo:Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
The Chicago Blackhawks plan to terminate Corey Perry’s contract.
The NHL team placed the 38-year-old Canadian winger on unconditional waivers in a step toward terminating his contract, the organization announced in astatementon Tuesday.
The decision comes after an internal investigation into Perry, who joined the team in June after a two-season stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Per the statement, 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,” it continued. “In the event Mr. Perry clears waivers, we intend to terminate his contract effective immediately.”
The team did not state what “conduct” Perry engaged in to warrant these actions, and a rep for the Blackhawks did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the team’s general manager, Kyle Davidson, provided more information about the situation in a press conference — and shut down social media rumors that Perry’s exit involves his teammates or their families.
“However, I do want to be very clear on this one point: this does not involve any players or their families,” he continued. “And anything that suggests otherwise or anyone that suggests otherwise is wildly inaccurate, and frankly it’s disgusting.”
The Blackhawks are moving to terminate winger Corey Perry’s contract.Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty
Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty
Elsewhere in the conference, Davidson called the situation a “workplace matter,” and said that “the players do not have any details at all.”
“Over the last 24 hours, what has gone on has been very disturbing and I feel like I am carrying that,” he said. “It’s just tough to see.”
“We immediately pulled him from the game and conducted an internal investigation,” he said, referring to the team’s decision to list Perry as a scratch for its Nov. 22 game.
“Upon the findings of the investigation, we made the decision to terminate his contract,” Davidson reiterated.
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A first-round 2003 draft pick, Perry is described in hisofficial NHL bioas “one of the NHL’s biggest agitators."
Perry played for the Anaheim Ducks for the first 14 years of his 19-year NHL career, and won the 2007 Stanley Cup with the team. He has since played for the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Lightning and Blackhawks, scoring 421 goals and 471 assists across 1,273 total career games.
source: people.com
