Is Corey Perry not playing vs St Louis? Update on Blackhawks star's situation

The Chicago Blackhawks find themselves facing uncertainty as veteran forward Corey Perry remains absent from the lineup, and will notably miss the upcoming game against St. Louis. Perry, 38, hasn't played in the Blackhawks' past two games and did not participate in team practices throughout the week.

General Manager Kyle Davidson delivered the news Saturday, revealing that Perry would be away from the team for "the foreseeable future." He said:

"He's away from the team and will remain so for the foreseeable future. We're unable to provide any update on that front.

"It's been a team decision so far to hold him out. It's coming from the organization."

The absence of concrete information about Perry's situation has led to speculation and raised questions about potential injuries or trade discussions. Davidson, however, declined to comment:

"To start ruling anything out is irresponsible, so I'm not going to comment on any possible outcomes."

While the decision to sideline Perry was attributed to team management, conflicting statements emerged as Perry's agent, Pat Morris, asserted that it was the player's choice to step away from the Blackhawks.

Morris emphasized that Perry was addressing personal matters and requested privacy for him and his family during this time:

"Corey Perry has stepped away from the Chicago Blackhawks to attend to personal matters. Corey and his family appreciate privacy at this time."

Corey Perry, a seasoned NHL veteran, joined the Blackhawks as a free agent after two successful seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite accumulating four goals and five assists in 16 games this season, Perry's impact on the ice has been overshadowed by his unexpected departure from the team.

Corey Perry's absence adds to Blackhawks' problems

Adding to the Blackhawks' challenges, they are already without another former Hart Trophy winner, Taylor Hall, who is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to an ACL injury and subsequent surgery. Despite these setbacks, Davidson expressed confidence in the team. He said:

"There's been a significant growth in the group as a collective. We did bring some players in, but we had some strong leaders already here. I have no fear that there's enough quality leadership to carry this [team] forward."

Up to this point, the Blackhawks have delivered subpar performances, finding themselves at the bottom of the Central Division. With 12 losses and only six wins in 18 games this season, they currently hold 12 points.