What Happened to Corey Perry? Chicago Blackhawks Fired Him

The Gist:

• Corey Perry’s contract has been terminated with the Chicago Blackhawks.
• The team claims that he displayed inappropriate behavior that was both unprofessional and unsafe.
• Corey released a statement apologizing for his behavior and said he was seeking treatment for mental health and alcohol abuse, but didn’t clarify what happened.

The hockey world is still recovering from the surprising news in late November that the Chicago Blackhawks had decided to terminate the contract of Corey Perry. Corey has spoken out twice in the wake of his termination, and those statements have provided some additional explanation as to what happened that led to this series of events.

At this point, it isn’t clear whether Corey still has a future in the NHL. The news has been a shock for many hockey fans. Now, fans want to know what happened to Corey Perry.

The chain of events that ultimately led to Corey’s termination started when he was unexpectedly scratched just hours before a game on Nov. 22, 2023. After he was scratched, Corey was absent from both practices and games in the following days, which only added to the confusion.

The first solid update came from Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson. “He’s away from the team and will remain so for the foreseeable future,” Kyle explained. “I’m unable to provide any further update on that front.”

Kyle did say that it had been an organizational decision to keep Corey out of games, as opposed to one that Corey was making himself. On Nov. 28, the team provided more clarity, saying that Corey had “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable and in violation of both the terms of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments.”

The team said, “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.”

Corey’s agent said that he had stepped away from the team to deal with personal matters. It’s unclear exactly what Corey did, but it was severe enough to merit his immediate removal from the team.

Following the news that his contract had been terminated, Corey released a statement apologizing for his behavior and saying that he was going to spend time working on his mental health.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to the entire Chicago Blackhawks organization, including ownership, management, coaches, trainers, employees, and my teammates. I would also like to apologize to my fans, and my family. I am embarrassed and I have let you all down,” the statement said.

Corey added that he was now seeking treatment for mental health and alcohol abuse in order to keep this from ever happening again. What remains unclear, though, is what event led to Corey’s termination.