Corey Perry’s contract termination explained: how the process works in the NHL and what comes next

Corey Perry’s focus isn’t on hockey right now.

As the veteran forward made clear in a statement released after the Chicago Blackhawks terminated his contract due to a material breach, Perry is prioritizing his family and his health for the first time since 2010 during this time away from the NHL season is employed by a team. 2004.

“I have begun working with mental health and substance abuse experts to discuss my struggle with alcohol and will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure this never happens again,” Perry wrote in a statement which was released on Thursday. “I hope to regain the trust and respect of all who have believed in me.”

The specific details of why Chicago cut ties with its alternate captain remain unknown. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson called it a “workplace matter” and indicated there was no criminal activity.

His organization is understandably sensitive to any incident of employee misconduct after failing to act in 2010 when former player Kyle Beach alleged he was sexually assaulted by video coach Brad Aldridge. The Blackhawks paid a $2 million fine to the NHL for “inadequate internal procedures and inadequate and untimely response” when the details of that situation came to light in 2021 and also reached a confidential settlement with Beach.

Still, a contract termination like the one with Perry is rare in the NHL, especially since it involves a former Hart Trophy winner who has a borderline case for eventual induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In recent years, NHL clubs have typically executed contract terminations in cases involving criminal charges (Slava Voynov, Mike Richards) or for minor infractions involving lower-roster players (Brendan Leipsic, Jake Dotchin).

Perry’s case seems to land somewhere in the middle of those two poles, at least based on how Davidson loosely framed what happened Tuesday night during an emotional media presence in Chicago.

Even at age 38, Perry was a key player for the Blackhawks. He carried a letter, was paid $4 million to serve as a mentor in a young locker room and was sitting as the team’s third-leading point producer when information reached management last week that prompted his removal from the lineup while an investigation was conducted started.

On Tuesday, Perry had been granted an unconditional release with a view to contract termination. It was a stunning turn of events with potential consequences far beyond the current situation.

Precedent

Because no disrespect is intended toward anyone affected by Perry’s actions, and no judgment has been made on the circumstances that led him here, as they remain largely unknown, it’s worth taking a step back to understand what are reasonable grounds to terminate an NHL contract.

The level is exceptionally high.

All deals are intended to be fully guaranteed.

And yet the terms of a standard player contract do not provide complete clarity as to what constitutes a material breach, because although Section 2(e) calls for a player to “conduct himself on and off the rink in accordance with the highest standards of honesty, morality, fair play and good sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct prejudicial to the interests of the club, the league or professional hockey in general,” paragraph 4 of the SPC states that a team “may establish reasonable rules governing the conduct and conditioning of its arrange player”. .” But in the event that the player violates these rules, the penalty is limited to a ‘reasonable fine’ or suspension from the team.

The standard for a breach worthy of contract termination is not expressly set out.

We can only lean on history as a guide, and the examples are varied: everything from the Tampa Bay Lightning looking to terminate Dotchin’s contract because he showed up to training camp out of shape in 2019, to Leipsic’s deal being terminated by the Washington Capitals in 2019. 2020 after private conversations became public where he discussed drugs, women and fellow NHL players and their significant others, until the San Jose Sharks terminated Evander Kane’s contract in 2022 after he presented a forged vaccination card and had not reported.

The Kings terminated Richards’ contract in 2015 after he was accused of crossing the border in possession of a controlled substance — though they ultimately agreed to pay the player a portion of his remaining salary and serve until 2032 as part of the deal were imposed a negotiated limit. of a settlement resulting from a complaint.

And Los Angeles terminated Voynov’s contract two years later after he was accused of domestic violence.

In Perry’s case, the Blackhawks said in a statement this week that he “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable and violates both the terms of his standard player contract and the Blackhawks’ internal policies designed to provide professional and safe work environments.” promote.”

It is not entirely clear where exactly the line should be drawn.

For example, in 2019, when a video surfaced of Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov with what appeared to be cocaine on a table in front of him, he was suspended three games by the team for inappropriate behavior.

Please rate the individual actions outlined here as you wish. The point is that an NHL player who has behaved unprofessionally does not always face a terminated contract.

Potential complaint

Perry has 60 days to decide whether to file a complaint through the NHL Players’ Association. According to a union spokesperson, the matter is still under investigation.

Should he choose to go that route, it would be an exercise in preserving his earning power.

Perry is entitled to keep about $1 million of his $4 million salary after spending about 25 percent of the season on the Blackhawks roster before his contract was terminated, meaning he technically owes money back to the organization for receiving a $2 million signing bonus. during the summer.

However, he does have the right to present his case to an independent arbitrator, pursuant to Article 17 of the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Should this happen, Perry would fight to receive the full remaining salary he is owed under his contract in 2023-2024. There are no circumstances in which he could be reinstated to the Blackhawks roster and resume there anytime soon.

Filing a complaint would also open the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement, as Dotchin and Richards did. Kane also received money from the Sharks to make up the difference between what he was originally owed from them and what he received on the contract he signed as a free agent in Edmonton.

The future

Perry is already an unrestricted free agent and owns all rights granted to any player in that situation.

He is now eligible to sign a contract with another NHL team. And he would have to sign somewhere before the March 8 trade deadline to suit up in the upcoming playoffs.

There’s no indication yet that a return is even remotely a priority for Perry. His statement was entirely focused on addressing the remorse he felt for the harm caused by his actions and revealing his need to initiate treatment for his alcohol problem.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to the entire Chicago Blackhawks organization, including ownership, management, coaches, trainers, staff and my teammates,” Perry wrote. “I would also like to apologize to my fans and my family. I’m ashamed and I’ve let you all down.’

Rival teams, who currently know no more about what led to Perry’s contract termination than the general public, are expected to keep an eye on his situation. They would like to better understand the circumstances surrounding his departure from Chicago to gauge whether he will ever be in a position to resume his hockey career, and will ultimately have to see where he stands personally after being given time off to search therapy.

There may still be a path back to the NHL for Perry.

Time will tell.

(Photo: Claus Andersen/Getty Images)