What did Corey Perry do to get terminated by Blackhawks? Ex-NHL player turned broadcaster gives his take

Corey Perry, the seasoned 38-year-old NHL player, saw his contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in November. The termination was linked to a violation of club policies, described as a workplace matter, after an internal investigation.

General manager Kyle Davidson, while not disclosing specific details, emphasized that the issue was not criminal.

Recently, NBC Sports Chicago broadcaster John Scott delved into the matter on the Dropping the Gloves podcast, defending Perry's character and attributing the termination to the heightened sensitivity. He said,

"I was on the Oilers nation, friend of our show, the nation network. I was on their comment section, and people are all worried about his character issues. Oh, all the bad players come to Edmonton. We got Evander Kane. Bring on Corey Perry.

"Corey Perry was a model citizen in the NHL for like 18 years. Made a mistake in Columbus one night. He think too much, and he made a pass at a staff member who worked for NBC and then Chicago."

Scott suggested that in any other NHL team or era, Perry might have faced a less severe consequence.

John Scott said,

"The environment that they live in now, if there's any hint of anything like that, they just get rid of everything. Scorched earth, he's gone. If this is any other team, he's still on the team, he's still with them, and they just kind of maybe have a slap on the wrist, maybe a minor fine or suspension.

"But because Chicago and the era that we live in and they just bungled their thing in 2010, they had to get rid of them. If you throw that out the window, this is a great signing for the Edmonton Oilers, and people are going back.

"Well, he only had 25 points last year with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He only had 21 with the Canadians and the start. Nobody in Edmonton cares what he does in the regular season at all. He could sit out the whole regular season. What you get from Corey Perry, the guy who produces in the playoffs."

As debates unfold about the impact on Perry's career, the veteran player's reputation, built over 18 years in the NHL, undergoes scrutiny.

In a recent development, John Scott took to Twitter to apologize to fans for his ‘off-the-cuff remark’ which he called ‘unfounded’. Scott tweeted to confess,

"On my podcast this week I made a false and misleading statement regarding former Blackhawk Corey Perry. It was an off-the-cuff remark that is completely unfounded and not true. It was a poor choice of words, and I'll try to be more careful in the future."

Corey Perry joins Edmonton Oilers on one-year deal

Corey Perry, 38, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, marking a return to the NHL after his contract with the Chicago Blackhawks was terminated in November.

Perry issued a statement acknowledging his "inappropriate and wrong" behavior and revealing plans to undergo professional treatment for alcohol abuse and mental health. The terms of Perry's deal with the Oilers include a base salary of $775,000, with additional performance bonuses.

The Oilers' decision to sign Perry comes amid their remarkable 13-game winning streak, which has now turned in 14 consecutive wins with a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.