BREAKING: Concerns Rise In Chicago As Corey Perry Is Mysteriously Absent Once Again

The status of Corey Perry has become a subject of curiosity following an unusual decision by the Chicago Blackhawks. Perry was unexpectedly made a healthy scratch in the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with Head Coach Luke Richardson citing it as an "organizational decision."

The intrigue deepened today as Perry, brought in to mentor the team's young players, was absent from Chicago's practice session today adding to the mystery.

Perry carries a $4 million cap hit for the Hawks per season, making his absence on the ice when healthy perplexing, unless there are undisclosed factors at play. As of now, there is no further information available.

The Blackhawks are scheduled to play their next game on Friday afternoon against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

There's increasing speculation surrounding the team's efforts to relocate Perry to a more favorable destination, given the veteran forward's apparent dissatisfaction with his lack of playing time for the Chicago Blackhawks. Perry initially inked a one-year deal with the Blackhawks and was expected to serve as a mentor figure for Connor Bedard, making the current situation quite unexpected.

Perry is third in team scoring, tallying nine points (four goals, five assists) across 16 games. At 38 years old, Perry is currently under a $4 million contract for this season, a deal that played a role in helping the Blackhawks meet the salary cap floor when combined with Nick Foligno's one-year contract at the same value. However, the challenge now lies in potentially trading Perry, and it's unlikely that any team would take on his full salary. General Manager Kyle Davidson may need to retain the maximum salary to generate interest in a trade.

Corey Perry will not play vs the Maple Leafs which drives up speculation of a trade. We now wonder when and where he will get traded. While a move to the Tampa Bay Lightning seems improbable given their recent changes to the fourth line, several contending teams looking to bolster their bottom six may express interest in acquiring Perry for added depth.