Corey Perry: Jimmy Murphy talks about an “Ime Udoka” situation

The Chicago Blackhawks, a team that has often been the subject of bad press in recent years, is currently grappling with a rather unfortunate situation: that of Corey Perry.

Of course, it’s impossible to know exactly what went wrong with the former Blackhawks player to make the club decide to send him home for good, but we do know that it’s serious.

And we know, as GM Kyle Davidson said, that it doesn’t involve a teammate… or a teammate’s family.

Obviously, the more time passes, the more questions arise. The Hawks GM may have talked about unacceptable behavior in a work environment on Perry’s part, but it’s unclear exactly what he did. He couldn’t really say more.

You know as well as I do that the less we know, the more we want to know.

According to Emily Kaplan, who covers the NHL for ESPN, it’s because of an incident with someone in the Blackhawks’ employ before a game in Columbus last week that Perry is in trouble.

And no, Connor Bedard’s mom isn’t on the Blackhawks payroll, for those who want to make a joke.

But hey. All this to say that right now, the situation is pretty serious and the Hawks aren’t laughing. You can tell by the way GM Kyle Davidson spoke to the media.

The club, which has been in hot water over the Kyle Beach issue in the past, clearly wants to distance itself from the controversy in 2023. That’s probably why Perry, whose career is surely over, was cut quickly.

And this, even if in the Hawks’ locker room, they still seem to be defending him – to a certain extent.

But don’t forget that to terminate a player’s contract this quickly, it has to be justified. Otherwise, the Hawks would look like they were doing things wrong, which is not desirable.

And according to Jimmy Murphy’s report, it was because of an Ime Udoka situation that the Blackhawks veteran was fired by his club.

Ukoda was coach of the Boston Celtics (NBA) until 2022. He was suspended by his club because he allegedly used inappropriate language with a Celtics employee (while in a position of authority) before entering into a relationship with her.

He eventually lost his job… before rebounding elsewhere.

Initially, we might have thought the relationship was mutual, but in the end, based on the Celtics employee’s words, we understand that’s not necessarily how it went down.

Does this also apply to Perry? We don’t know, of course.

As Renaud Lavoie mentioned this morning on BPM Sports, we’ll know more if charges are ever laid. But if not? It’s safe to assume that the full story will never be known.

It’s worth remembering that Corey Perry’s name may have been floated as a possible Hall of Fame candidate, but all this could throw a cold shower on his potential candidacy.

Just playing in the NHL again could be impossible. After all, the man who was brought to Chicago for his leadership would have violated the standards of his contract and the team’s internal policies to promote a safe and professional work environment… and that leaves its mark.

It’s also worth remembering that the former Montreal Canadien would have been named CH captain had he chosen to stay in town instead of leaving for Tampa Bay in 2021.

In bursts

– All the better.

– Really?

– Toronto is on a roll.

– Ottawa needs a GM. [BPM Sports]

– Interesting.

Claude Julien spotted in the stands at the TD Center?! He’s helping out the Ottawa team in the LPHF. Thanks @KimValliereSRC for this text and your eagle eyes!https://t.co/GUPHzxEYEc

– Geneviève Tardif (@tardifgen) November 29, 2023