With a cloud of mystery surrounding the circumstances of forward Corey Perry’s November departure from the Chicago Blackhawks (that resulted in the termination of his contract), a few reports regarding what happened have surfaced.
The most recent came from former NHL player John Scott, who, earlier this week, alleged that Perry was dropped by the Blackhawks for flirting with an NBC staff member while intoxicated on a road trip with the team in Columbus.
“He made a mistake in Columbus one night,” Scott said on Monday’s episode of his podcast Dropping the Gloves. “He drank too much and he made a pass at a staff member who worked for NBC.”
Scott later denied the headline-making claim in a Wednesday X post, calling his original remark “unfounded and not true” and promising to be more careful with his words going forward.
“On my podcast this week, I made a false and misleading statement regarding former Blackhawk Corey Perry,” Scott wrote. “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.”
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.
— John Scott (@johnscott_32) January 24, 2024
Along with providing details of the alleged incident regarding Perry, who signed a new contract with the Edmonton Oilers this week, Scott also called the 38-year-old “a model citizen in the NHL for 18 years” on his podcast.
He also argued that Perry would have only been issued a “slap on the wrist” or a minor suspension had he been a member of another team at the time, citing Chicago’s response to former player Kyle Beach’s 2021 allegations of sexual assault against one of the organization’s former video coaches.
“If this is any other team, he’s still on the team,” Scott, who also works on the NBC Sports Chicago broadcast team, said.
Perry, who began working with mental health and substance experts in late November, acknowledged the aftermath of his termination earlier this week ahead of his upcoming Oilers debut.
“Over the last two months, I really had a chance to reflect and get the help, and take full responsibility for what happened in Chicago – with support from my counsellors – and just trying to better myself each and every day,” Perry told reporters in Edmonton on Monday.
“From where I was two months ago to where I am today, I think it’s been a world of difference.”
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