For the first time since the Corey Perry saga began, Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard has spoken publicly about the vile rumors surrounding the affair.
While he was in Winnipeg for Saturday’s game against the Jets, a reporter asked Bedard on Friday if the hearsay had had an impact on him.
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“I don’t have to answer questions like that. “That’s nonsense on the internet,” replied the 18-year-old, annoyed. Obviously this had an impact on me and my family. It’s not fair, but it’s out of my control. This is completely false and made up.”
This week, the Blackhawks terminated Perry’s contract due to an incident the week before. The crimes the 38-year-old athlete is accused of occurred during an event attended by sponsors and employees of the Blackhawks. The next day, the Chicago club faced the Blue Jackets in Columbus, and Perry was not in his team’s lineup. He didn’t return to the team after that.
“It’s obviously a difficult situation. But I don’t really need to talk about it. What happened to Perry is serious. My first concern is that he is OK and that his family is OK too,” Bedard added, according to the Sportsnet network.
Perry, a former Montreal Canadiens player, apologized in a statement posted on social media Thursday.
“As a result of my actions, speculation and rumors arose,” he said in his letter. I am outraged by the impact this has had on others, and I want to make it clear that the situation in no way affects my teammates or their families.