ANALYSIS: Corey Perry, social media and the reign of rumours
Corey Perry #CoreyPerry
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A days-long wildfire of online rumours about London hockey legend Corey Perry underscores social media’s growing role in amplifying gossip that often crowds out fact-based information, one academic says.
So intense was the speculation on Twitter and elsewhere involving Perry and a Chicago Blackhawks teammate’s family member that it forced the NHL club’s general manager to publicly speak out to refute a rumour, an unusual step in pro sports and elsewhere.
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“Rumours have always existed, and rumours have always percolated through social networks and through people’s interpersonal communication networks,” said Dwayne Winseck, a Carleton University communications professor who researches media and the internet.
“And that’s what we’re seeing right to the surface, made visible through social media. That’s what social media and the internet do. They make things visible that previously percolated throughout our everyday lives.”
Tuesday, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said the matter “does not involve a player or their families. And anything that suggests otherwise, or anyone that suggests otherwise, is wildly inaccurate and frankly disgusting.”
That appeared to do little to ease doubters on social media over what hockey journalist Frank Seravalli has dubbed “the worst rumour ever.” ESPN is reporting the matter allegedly involves a team employee.
For Winseck, the situation illustrates how things in pro sports have changed. There were always internal controversies “and they always had an impact on the team but they were contained,” he said. “We had to be kind of an insider to understand or to have contact with these rumours.”
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Now the rumours, he added, “become public in ways that we didn’t see in the past” which forces people in situations like this to “engage in crisis communication strategies.”
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TIMELINE
A 19-season NHL veteran, Perry, 38, signed a one-year, $4-million deal with also-ran Chicago this summer as a veteran player who could help mentor the team’s star rookie, Connor Bedard. Perry performed well on the ice, with nine points in 16 games.
But last week he was suddenly scratched from a Nov. 22 game against Columbus, with his coach calling it an “organization decision.” The team later announced he’d be away from the club for the foreseeable future – as rumours caught fire, including on X, formerly known as Twitter.
On Nov. 25, Perry’s agent, Pat Morris, issued a statement saying the veteran forward left the team “to attend to personal matters.” It did little to quell the growing rumour-mongering on social media.
Perry is a potential Hockey Hall of Famer but he’s also disliked by many opposing team’s fanbases. Something serious is alleged to have occurred, and the Blackhawks franchise has drawn fire in the recent past for not being forthcoming with internal scandals. Those factors likely played a role in fanning the speculation.
It reached a boiling point on Tuesday, when Davidson, the Blackhawks GM, took the unusual step of holding a press conference to offer few new details – except to make clear no player’s family members were involved in the matter.
Seravalli was more blunt on his podcast, calling the rumour “f—ing bulls–t,” adding: “This is something that was perpetuated on social media. It is so far from the truth and so unfair.”
Winseck sounds a note of caution on blaming it all on social media, however. While online forums and social media can “undermine what we know in life,” he said: “We would be foolish to allow that set of claims to commandeer the entire discussion as if somehow social media has unleashed a world of untruths and a lack of factuality that has overrun reality itself.”
A sterling career at its end?
Perry is among the winningest players in hockey history, with a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. Locally, he earned legend status after he led the Knights to the 2005 Memorial Cup victory on home ice. A Peterborough native, Perry now calls London home.
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Corey Perry in front of Erie Otter Chris Campoli on Sunday Oct 12/03
Corey Perry
Jeff Carter #7, Corey Perry #24, Mike Richards #18 and Danny Syvret #20 of Team Canada celebrate their victory over Team Russia at the World Junior Hockey Championships at the Ralph Engelstad Arena on January 4, 2005 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Canada defeated Russia 6-1 to win the gold medal. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
London Knights (in white) vs Erie Otters, OHL action at the John Labatt Centre, London Ontario, Mar. Knights Corey Perry leaps in the air and team mate Dylan Hunter’s arms after breaking the all-time Knight’s team scoring record. Perry’s assist gave him 379 points as a London Knight. The Knights won 9-1 to improve to 58-5-2-0 season. (Dave Chidley The London Free Press)
Memorial Cup final between the London Knights and the Rimouski Oceanic at the John Labatt Centre in London Ontario, May 29/053; Corey Perry MVP takes a drink from the Stafford Smythe MVP cup. (Dave Chidley The London Free Press)
The Knights handed out their championship rings to the 2004-2005 Memorial Cup winning team Wednesday evening at Fire Rock Golf Course near Komoka.; From left Bryan Rodney, Dylan Hunter, Daniel Girardi, captain Danny Syvret, Londoner Brandon Prust and Corey Perry model them. MIKE HENSEN The London Free Press
London Knights hockey team BOTTOM l-r, Gerald Coleman, Dylan Hunter, Jacques Beaulieu, Dale Hunter, Danny Syvret, Mark Hunter, Jeff Perry, Corey Perry, and Adam Dennis. Middle, l-r, Jim McKellar, Dr. Dieter Bruckschwaiger,Ryan Martinelli, Brandon Prust, David Bolland, Dan Girardi, Mark Methot, Jeff Whitfield, Danny Fritsche, Bryan Rodney, Rob Schremp, Dave Rook, Stephanie Turnbull, Don Brankley. TOP l-r, Chris Maton, Spero Mantzavrakos, Angelo Delilis (check spell), Adam Perry, Kelly Thomson, Harrison Reed, Josh Beaulieu, Drew Larman, Tervor Kell, Robbie Drummond, Matt McCready, Steve Ferry, Jordan Foreman..
NHLer and former London Knight forward Corey Perry surprised players on the Oakridge Aeros minor novice hockey team by joining in their practice at Medway Arena in London on Thursday December 13, 2012. CRAIG GLOVER The London Free Press
Corey Perry takes a divot with his driver on the first hole of the Knights annual golf tournament Friday August 17, 2012 at Forest City National. A lack of warmup didn’t seem to overly bother the former Knight. MIKE HENSEN/The London Free Press
Corey Perry watches as his number #94 is raised to the rafters of the John Labatt Centre Friday November 4, 2011 MIKE HENSEN/THE LONDON FREE PRESS
London Knights player Corey Perry (RIGHT) shakes hands with Rimouski Oceanic star Sidney Crosby after the Knights won 4-0 to win the Cup Sunday evening at London’s John Labatt Centre. For stories by Aaron Wheery, Joe O’Connor and Cam Cole/National Post Staff photo by Peter J. Thompson/National Post
Former Knights star Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks proudly parades the Stanley Cup into a downtown London bar last night for a private party with his family and his London friends. Perry and the Cup spent the day in his hometown of Peterborough. The Knights sent their team bus to pick up Perry’s family and friends to deliver them to London. “It’s everything I’ve dreamed about and I’m not going to forget this day, for sure,” Perry said before heading to London. The Cup will be leaving the area today, but only for a few hours. Perry’s Ducks teammate Andy McDonald is flying it to Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., before turning around and bringing it back to the West Middlesex Memorial Centre in his hometown of Strathroy for a public event from 2:30 p.m to 5:30 p.m.
London Knight’s Corey Perry was awarded the OHL Player of the Year by Dave Branch,president of the OHL today at a press conference at the John Labatt Centre.
Photo of Bob Martin (left) and Corey Perry at 2016 world hockey championships in Russia. HANDOUT
Tuesday May 24, 2005. National Post/Sports London Knight Adam Perry, brother of Knights star Corey Perry Tuesday morning at Memorial Cup Practice at London’s Wetern Fair Sports Complex. For story by Aaron Wheery/National Post Staff photo by Peter J. Thompson/National Post
Corey Perry #10 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the third period of a preseason game against the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center on September 28, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks poses after winning the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy during the 2011 NHL Awards at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort June 22, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Jeff Carter #7, Corey Perry #24, Mike Richards #18 and Danny Syvret #20 of Team Canada celebrate their victory over Team Russia at the World Junior Hockey Championships at the Ralph Engelstad Arena on January 4, 2005 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Canada defeated Russia 6-1 to win the gold medal. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
Dave Chidley The London Free Press
Memorial Cup final between the London Knights and the Rimouski Oceanic at the John Labatt Centre in London Ontario, May 29/05.
Corey Perry with the Cup
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***From Ottawa*** ***From London*** SPT 
Corey, Perry for Knights poster, shot in Knights dressing room a the JLC Sept. 23/04. 
DAVE CHIDLEY The London Free Press 
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archive ottawa sun appeared May 20 2005 in sports Original Filename was Corey_Perry Processed: Friday, May 20, 2005 11:10:28 AM
Corey Perry
Team Canada’s Corey Perry during warm-ups before their men’s ice hockey quarterfinals play-off game against Latvia at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Wednesday Feb. 19, 2014. Al Charest/Calgary Sun
Team Canada’s Jamie Benn (#22) and Corey Perry (#24) celebrate Benn’s second period goal during the men’s ice hockey semifinal playoff game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Friday Feb. 21, 2014. Al Charest/Calgary Sun
Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks.
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He has played 1,273 NHL games since 2005, collecting 892 points and 1,392 penalty minutes. He won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007 and reached the finals with three straight teams, Dallas, Montreal and Tampa, from 2020 to 2022. He has earned more than US$92 million in salary.
In 2019, The Free Press reported that Perry and his family paid $7.25 million for a north London home in the Uplands area, north of Masonville, which at the time was believed to be the most ever paid for a single-family home in the city.
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