Corey Perry’s focus isn’t on hockey right now.
As the veteran forward made clear in a statement released after the Chicago Blackhawks terminated his contract due to a serious violation, Perry is not employed by a team during the NHL season for the first time since then is, his family and his health first in 2004.
“I have begun working with mental health and substance abuse professionals to discuss my issues with alcohol, and I will take all necessary steps to ensure this never happens again,” Perry wrote in a statement Thursday published statement. “I hope to regain the trust and respect of everyone who believed in me.”
The exact details of why Chicago cut ties with its alternate captain remain unknown. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson called it a “workplace matter” and noted that it did not involve criminal activity.
His organization is understandably sensitive to any incident involving employee misconduct, having failed to act in 2010 when former player Kyle Beach claimed he was sexually abused by video coach Brad Aldridge. When details of this situation emerged in 2021, the Blackhawks paid a $2 million fine to the NHL for “inadequate internal procedures and inadequate and untimely response” and also reached a confidential settlement with Beach.
Still, a contract termination like the one they initiated with Perry is rare in the NHL – especially since it involves a former Hart Trophy winner who has a borderline argument for eventual induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In recent years, NHL clubs have typically terminated contracts due to criminal allegations (Slava Voynov, Mike Richards) or minor infractions involving players at the bottom of the roster (Brendan Leipsic, Jake Dotchin).
Perry’s case appears to fall somewhere in the middle of those two poles, at least based on the way Davidson broadly laid out what happened during an emotional media presentation Tuesday night in Chicago.
At the age of 38, Perry was already an important player for the Blackhawks. He was carrying a letter, being paid $4 million as a mentor in a youth locker room and serving as the team’s third-leading point producer when information reached management last week that led to his removal from the lineup pending an investigation.
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On Tuesday, Perry was placed on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract. It was a stunning turn of events with potential implications far beyond the current situation.
precedent
Since there is no disrespect to those affected by Perry’s actions, and no judgment is made about the circumstances that brought him here as they are largely unknown, it is worth taking a step back and understanding what constitutes reasonable grounds for terminating one NHL contract represents.
The standard is exceptionally high.
All offers are said to be fully guaranteed.
And yet the terms of a standard player contract do not provide complete clarity as to what constitutes a material breach, with Section 2(e) requiring a player to “conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of honesty and morality on and off the field.” , fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct that is detrimental to the welfare of the club, the league or professional ice hockey in general,” paragraph 4 of the SPC provides that a team “shall establish appropriate rules for the conduct and conditioning of the player However, if the player violates these rules, the punishment is limited to an “appropriate fine” or a ban from the team.
The standard for a breach justifying termination of the contract is not expressly established.
We can only rely on history as a guide, and the examples are many: from the Tampa Bay Lightning terminating Dotchin’s contract because he showed up to training camp out of shape in 2019, to Leipsic’s contract being terminated by the Washington Capitals in 2019 became public in 2020 after private conversations in which he discussed drugs, women and other NHL players and their significant others became public, to the San Jose Sharks terminating Evander Kane’s contract in 2022 after he provided a fake vaccination card submitted and did not report.
The Kings terminated Richards’ contract in 2015 after he was accused of attempting to cross the border with controlled substances – although they eventually agreed to pay the player a portion of his remaining salary in exchange for a negotiated term through 2032 Had to pay maximum fee for a settlement based on a complaint.
And Los Angeles terminated Voynov’s contract two years later after he was accused of domestic violence.
In Perry’s case, the Blackhawks said in a statement this week that he “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable and violates both the terms of his standard player contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies promoting professional and safe work environments.” “
It is not entirely clear where exactly the line should be drawn.
For example, when a video surfaced in 2019 showing Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov with what appeared to be cocaine on a table in front of him, the team suspended him for three games for inappropriate behavior.
Evaluate the individual actions presented here as you wish. The point is, an NHL player found to be engaging in unprofessional behavior doesn’t always end up with a terminated contract.
Possible complaint
Perry has 60 days to decide whether to file a complaint through the NHL Players’ Association. According to a union spokesman, the matter is still under review.
If he chooses this route, it would be an exercise in maintaining his earning power.
Perry is eligible to keep about $1 million of his $4 million salary after spending about 25 percent of the season on the Blackhawks’ roster before the contract was terminated, meaning he technically owes the organization money back, as he received a $2 million signing bonus over the summer.
However, under Article 17 of the NHL CBA, he has the right to present his case to an independent arbitrator.
If that happens, Perry would fight to receive the full balance of his salary owed under his contract in 2023-24. There are no circumstances under which he could be reinstated to the Blackhawks roster and play again in the short term.
Filing a complaint would also open up the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement, as Dotchin and Richards did. Kane also received money from the Sharks to make up the difference between what he was originally owed from them and what he received under the contract he signed as a free agent in Edmonton.
The future
Perry is already an unrestricted free agent and has all the rights that any player in this situation is entitled to.
He is currently eligible to sign a contract with another NHL team. And he would have to sign somewhere by the March 8 trade deadline to compete in the upcoming playoffs.
There’s no sign yet that a return is even remotely a priority for Perry. His testimony focused solely on addressing the remorse he felt for the harm caused by his actions and suggesting that he needed to begin treatment for his alcohol problems.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the entire Chicago Blackhawks organization, including ownership, management, coaches, trainers, staff and my teammates,” Perry wrote. “I would also like to apologize to my fans and family. I’m embarrassed and I’ve let you all down.”
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Rival teams, who currently know no more about what led to Perry’s contract termination than the general public, are expected to keep an eye on his situation. They want to better understand the circumstances of his departure from Chicago, to assess whether he will ever be able to continue his hockey career, and ultimately to see where he stands personally after being given time off for treatment.
There may still be a path back to the NHL for Perry.
Only time can tell.
(Photo: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)