Corey Perry, a forward for the Chicago Blackhawks, has been absent from the team since November 19. General Manager Kyle Davidson addressed the situation at a press conference on Saturday, acknowledging Perry’s absence has been mysterious.
Perry was a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks’ November 22 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the following day, he was not present at practice and has not been with the team since.
Davidson mentioned that there is no set timeline for Perry’s return to the Blackhawks, but provided minimal additional information.
“There’s no update on that end,” Davidson said. “He’s away from the team and will remain so for the foreseeable future. I’m unable to provide any further update on that front.”
Davidson noted that the decision to keep Perry away from the team came from the organization and not the player himself.
“It’s been a team decision, so far, to hold him out,” Davidson said. “It is coming from the organization’s end, yes.”
When questioned about whether Perry’s absence is related to potential trades, Davidson did not offer a clear response.
“I think to start ruling anything out, I just think it is irresponsible, so I’m just not gonna comment on any possible outcome,” Davidson said.
Perry’s agent, Pat Morris, released a statement shortly after the press conference that seemed to contradict Davidson’s claim that the decision was made by the Blackhawks.
“Corey Perry has stepped away from the Chicago Blackhawks to attend to personal matters,” Morris said in a statement. “Corey and his family appreciate privacy at this time.”
During the offseason, Perry signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks after playing the previous two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. As a Stanley Cup champion, he brought more than 1,200 games of NHL experience to a young Chicago roster and has contributed four goals and five assists in 15 games this season.
