By Mark Lazerus, Scott Powers and Pierre LeBrun
Chicago Blackhawks forward Corey Perry will be away from the team for “the foreseeable future,” general manager Kyle Davidson said Saturday.
Davidson did not reveal details on why Perry has been away from the team this week, but did specify the player’s continued absence is the Blackhawks’ decision rather than Perry’s.
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Perry’s agent, Pat Morris, said later Saturday that Perry stepped away from the team to “attend to personal matters.”
“Corey and his family appreciate privacy at this time,” Morris said in a statement.
Kyle Davidson has "no update" on Corey Perry. Says he'll be away from the team for "the foreseeable future."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 25, 2023
Perry was a healthy scratch for Chicago’s loss to the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday and again for Chicago’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. As of Saturday’s practice, Perry still had a stall in the Blackhawks’ practice facility with his name on it and his equipment in it.
Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson declined to provide an update on Perry’s status Friday, saying, “He won’t be in the lineup today, and I’m unable to give any more information at this time.”
Perry, 38, has nine points (four goals and five assists) through 16 games with Chicago this season, his first with the team. The Blackhawks acquired him in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning in June, and he signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Chicago through the 2023-24 season.
How will the Blackhawks fill the void left by Perry (and Taylor Hall)?
Perry and Taylor Hall (who will have season-ending knee surgery Monday) were brought in this past summer to give the young Blackhawks a boost in scoring on the ice and leadership off the ice. But Davidson is in no rush to replace either of them. For one thing, it’s not easy to make big trades for productive players this time of year. For another, the Blackhawks aren’t exactly in win-now mode, mere months removed from a full-blown tank season.
“It’s not an easy thing to do, just to add on the fly, especially this early in the season,“ Davidson said. “There are probably other teams that would be far more aggressive than us in trying to add talent if we were to look at that. It’s not something I’m looking at right now. … I’m not ruling anything out, but at this point, it would be difficult to be aggressive in adding to the team.”
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So the Blackhawks, for now, will turn to young center Cole Guttman and journeyman winger Joey Anderson to step into the lineup. Anderson was an instant hit Friday afternoon, playing alongside Jason Dickinson as Dickinson posted a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win over Toronto. But that’s not sustainable, of course, and the Blackhawks — already the third-lowest-scoring team in the league — will struggle to put the puck in the net, putting even more pressure on Connor Bedard and the top line to carry the offense.
As for the leadership aspect, Nick Foligno almost instantly became the voice and the soul of the locker room. And Davidson noted that Hall will still be around, and still be available as a sounding board for Bedard, a fellow No. 1 pick.
“I can’t say enough positive things about Nick Foligno,” Davidson said. “He’s been an incredible addition to the group, both for the young guys and for the veterans that were here prior to him arriving. Absolutely fantastic and it’s important to have people like that in the organization. We’re happy and fortunate to have him.” — Mark Lazerus, Blackhawks senior writer
Is there a path for Perry to return to the Blackhawks?
It would seem pretty unlikely at this point. Just the secrecy around Perry’s absence gives you the feeling that he isn’t returning. But Davidson was vague enough on all his answers Saturday that it can’t be ruled out completely. Richardson was asked Friday if Perry could return and he didn’t have an answer either.
Davidson did sort of address whether Perry could still be traded.
“You know, I think to start ruling anything out I think is irresponsible, so I’m just gonna not comment on any possible outcome of this,” Davidson said.
So, yes, anything is possible, but the feeling is we’ve seen the last of Perry with the Blackhawks. — Scott Powers, Blackhawks senior writer
Required reading
(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
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