Despite having his contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this season, there is a chance that Corey Perry will return to the National Hockey League — with another team — this year.
“On Corey Perry… several teams are exploring signing the veteran for the second half of the season,” reported ESPN's Emily Kaplan on Thursday. “Not sure if it will happen, but there's interest. I know at least one team doing major due diligence to see if there were other incidents besides what happened in Chicago.”
Per Kaplan, multiple NHL teams have shown interest in picking up the veteran unrestricted free agent after he was reinstated by commissioner Gary Bettman.
Perry has not yet filed a grievance with the NHLPA regarding his termination, and the union has until Jan. 28 to decide whether or not it wants to proceed with one. After getting Bettman's “blessing,” it's clear that there is still a huge market for a pesky player like Perry that can still put the puck in the net.
The Hawks signed the 38-year-old to a one-year, $4 million contract after acquiring his rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a late June trade. He recorded four goals and nine points over 16 games in the Windy City before he was removed from the lineup and subsequently had his contract terminated.
Perry scored at a 0.56 points per game pace in third-line minutes with Chicago; he can still play at a high level and help a contender make a Stanley Cup run.
Perry reportedly had incident with employee
It was rumored that Perry violated the terms of his contract during an incident with a team employee. He released an apologetic statement shortly after.
“I would like to sincerely apologize to the entire Blackhawks organization, including ownership, management, coaches, trainers, employees, and my teammates,” Perry wrote.
“I would also like to apologize to my fans, and my family. I am embarrassed and I have let you all down. As a result of my actions, there has been speculation and rumors. I am sickened by the impact this has had on others, and I want to make it clear that in no way did this situation involve any of my teammates or their families.
“I have started working with experts in the mental health and substance abuse fields to discuss my struggles with alcohol and I will take whatever steps necessary to ensure this never happens again. I hope to regain the trust and respect of everyone who has believed in me throughout my career.”
Despite making headlines for all the wrong reasons this year, it's clear that Corey Perry can still play high level NHL hockey. The question is, which team will take a chance on the embattled veteran for the rest of 2023-24?
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