BLACKHAWKS ADDRESS COREY PERRY SITUATION

CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Blackhawks are cutting ties with Corey Perry. The franchise is still answering questions about the culture of the organization.

The Blackhawks say Perry engaged in unacceptable conduct, and they are moving toward terminating his contract in the latest twist involving the veteran winger who was sent home last week without explanation.

The team said Tuesday in a statement that an internal investigation showed Perry acted in violation of his NHL Standard Player Contract and 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 Wednesday.

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.”

Pat Morris, Perry’s agent, did not respond to messages seeking comment. Over the weekend, he said in a statement that Perry had stepped away to attend to personal matters.

The Blackhawks have revamped many of their policies and reporting procedures since an October 2021 report detailed how the organization badly mishandled a player’s allegations that he was sexually assaulted by an assistant coach during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup run.

In the wake of the scandal, the franchise’s top leaders have talked repeatedly about the culture within the organization. While Davidson repeatedly declined to offer any specifics on what happened with Perry, he touched on its connection to the franchise’s ongoing work.

“I think more than anything, it reinforced the resolve we have to change the culture and make sure we’re doing the right things and upholding our values and making sure that we continue to build a culture of accountability,” he said.

(Associated Press)