The circumstances surrounding Corey Perry’s initial absence from the Chicago Blackhawks led to rumors that he was sent home after having an intimate relationship with a teammate’s mother. Despite Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson describing the rumor as “disgusting”, it has done little to quell the rumor.

But it’s not true. Legally, it can’t be true.

Let’s start with a basic legal principle. The Blackhawks had a high legal standard to meet to terminate Perry's contract for cause (i.e., fire him and not pay him). It would need to be something very serious and potentially unlawful. It would also need to be something that typically forms the basis of terminating an employee for cause. That could be things like stealing, fraud, absenteeism, violence and harassment.

The unsubstantiated rumour that Perry was terminated after having a relationship with a teammate’s mother is not only ridiculous but unsupported at law.

Why?

The rumored consensual sexual relationship cannot form the basis of terminating a contract for cause. If two people agree to have a relationship (one of which is an employee), that relationship cannot form the basis for firing an employee for cause. So the rumor rather dramatically and obviously fails a fundamental legal test.

The Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson described the impugned incident as a “workplace matter” on two occasions during his press conference. As well, sources told ESPN's Emily Kaplan that the incident involved a “team employee”.

So apart from the rumor failing to meet the legal test at play, it’s been reported that the incident was a workplace matter involving an employee.

Time to move on.