NHL forward Corey Perry has seen his contract suddenly terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks after rumors surfaced of him allegedly having an affair with Connor Bedard’s mother.
That scenario has been denied but neither Bedard nor Perry had spoken out. That changed on Thursday.
Perry released a statement apologizing to the Blackhawks while stating he has begun working with mental health and substance abuse experts to discuss his struggles with alcohol.
The Chicago Blackhawks previously said Perry “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable” and was “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.”
Perry, whose contract was set to be terminated after clearing waivers Wednesday, was allegedly involved in an “alcohol-fueled incident” that included Blackhawks employees and corporate sponsors, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported on the Daily Faceoff.
It was not clear when the incident occurred and who witnessed it, according to Seravalli.
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Chicago signed the 38-year-old to a one-year deal in the summer to help lead an inexperienced, young roster. He played in 16 games, scoring four goals and assisting on five others.
He has not suited up for a game since being an unexpected healthy scratch for the November 22nd game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Perry has played in 1,273 NHL games while scoring 421 career goals. He won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.