Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Tuesday that Corey Perry will be placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout. His contract will be terminated, effective immediately.
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In a statement, the Blackhawks said they conducted an internal investigation and determined that "Corey Perry has engaged in conduct that is unacceptable, and in violation of both the terms of his Standard Player’s Contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies intended to promote professional and safe work environments."
Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson addressed the media before Tuesday's game at the United Center to talk about the situation. He was not able to share many details, but he did want to hammer home one thing.
"I do want to be very clear on this one point: 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," Davidson said. "This has been a tough situation."
Davidson was visibly distraught and emotional when talking about the Perry situation in his 10-minute press conference. You could tell he felt partly responsible for the rumors running rampant because of the vagueness of Perry's absence to begin with.
Chicago Blackhawks
Davidson believed the team "went through the process as quickly as we could in order to run a responsible investigation," which is why they didn't disclose anything sooner.
"To be honest, I think over the last 24 hours, what’s gone on has been very disturbing and I feel like I’m wearing it. I’m carrying that," Davidson said before his voice trailed off. "It’s just tough to see. Yeah, it’s tough to see."
Davidson and the Blackhawks have worked hard to reshape their image after the 2010 sexual assault allegations that led to a house-cleaning. Nobody is more committed to making sure something like that doesn't happen inside the organization again than Davidson himself.
"I think more than anything, it reinforces the resolve we have to change the culture and make sure we’re doing the right things," Davidson said. "Upholding our values and making sure we continue to build a culture of accountability. That’s my thoughts."
When asked whether the Perry situation will lead to more internal changes, Davidson responded: "It’s so fresh that we’ll get through today and I’m sure we’ll continue to always evaluate.
"The one thing, it goes without saying whether it’s after something comes up or not, you’re always trying to be better, you’re always trying to improve. I don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case moving forward. We’re always looking to be better than we were the day before."
Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich