The Chicago Blackhawks are shutting down rumors that the team cut Corey Perry after he had an affair with the mother of rookie Connor Bedard.
On Tuesday, the Blackhawks announced they had placed Perry, a 19-year veteran who won the 2011 NHL MVP award and signed a one-year contract with Chicago this offseason, on unconditional waivers.
Chicago terminated Perry's contract after he “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation of both the terms of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies.”
The unexpected news led to a wild rumor on social media, which claimed Perry had slept with the mother of Bedard, whom the Blackhawks selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson shot down the rumors, though it's unclear why Perry's contract was terminated.
"Last week, management was notified of possible misconduct by Corey Perry," Davidson told reporters. "We pulled him from the game and conducted an internal investigation. Upon learning the findings of that investigation, we made the decision to terminate his contract. I will not be able to disclose any details."
Davidson continued by seemingly addressing rumors that Perry had an inappropriate relationship with Bedard's mother.
“I do want to be very clear on this one point,” Davidson said. “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.”
