Introduced as the newest member of the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, Corey Perry declined to get any further into specifics on the incident that led to his contract being terminated in Chicago two months ago.
In late November, 16 games into his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks after signing a one-year, $4-million contract with the club, Perry was removed from the lineup and announced as having taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team. An internal investigation followed, resulting in the termination of the veteran forward’s contract, after it was revealed that Perry “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,” per the club’s announcement at the time.
In a statement released on Nov. 30, Perry apologized to the Blackhawks, his fans and his family, and stated his commitment to working with mental health and substance abuse experts regarding his struggles with alcohol.
On Monday, after signing a $775,000 deal in Edmonton for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, Perry declined to shed any more light on his exit from Chicago.
“I think when I put out my statement, it kind of mentioned everything,” Perry said in response to a question about the details of the incident that prompted his contract termination in Chicago. “That’s kind of all I’m going to elaborate on.”
While the opportunity to return to the NHL in Oilers colours grants the veteran a chance to turn the page, one key issue remains regarding the end of his time with the Blackhawks: the question of whether he and the NHLPA will appeal Chicago’s decision to terminate Perry’s one-year pact.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the situation in a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. Per Friedman, the NHLPA still has a week to appeal the termination, and the union is expected to do so.
“I was talking about this on Sunday with a couple agents and a player, and they felt very strongly that the Players’ Association has to either get a settlement … or appeal it,” Friedman said. “And the expectation is that they will do so.”
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Friedman and Marek suggested one form of settlement could be that Perry’s situation not be used as precedent moving forward. “That can happen. It has happened before, and it can happen again,” Friedman said of the possibility. “But both sides have to agree to that.”
Asked Monday about whether he intends to appeal his former club’s decision, Perry declined to comment.
“I’m not going to talk about that right now,” the forward said.
Perry, a former Stanley Cup champion, Hart Trophy winner and Rocket Richard winner, is expected to make his debut with the Oilers on Saturday, according to GM Ken Holland, when Edmonton takes on the Nashville Predators at home.
